Your search found 10 records
1 Bassi, N.; Kumar, M. D. 2017. Water quality index as a tool for wetland restoration. Water Policy, 19(3):390-403. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2017.099]
Water quality ; Monitoring ; Assessment ; Wetlands ; Lake restoration ; Water resources ; Anthropogenic factors ; Wastewater ; Pollutant load ; Faecal coliforms ; Temperature ; pH ; Dissolved oxygen ; Turbidity ; Total dissolved solids ; Phosphates ; Nitrates ; Urban areas ; Land use / India / Delhi / Lake Bhalswa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048185)
(0.31 MB)
Worldwide, wetlands are subjected to increasing anthropogenic pressures resulting in loss of their hydrological and ecological functions. Such impacts are more pronounced in the case of wetlands in urban areas which are exposed to land use changes and increased economic activities. In many Indian cities, natural water bodies such as lakes are heavily polluted due to runoff from farmlands in urban and peri-urban areas and discharge of untreated domestic and industrial wastewater. The major constraint for restoring such water bodies is difficulty in devising a concrete action plan for analysing different sets of water quality parameters. Hence, a water quality index (WQI), which is a tool to analyse large amounts of data on different water quality parameters, is computed for one of the biggest natural lakes in the metropolitan city of Delhi. The mean WQI of the lake was estimated to be 46.27, which indicates a high level of water pollution. The paper discusses how these findings can be used for informing policies on management of wetlands. The paper also suggests establishment of a community based water quality monitoring and surveillance system, backed by infrastructural support from the State, in order to restore the wetlands in urban areas.
2 Bassi, N.. 2018. Solarizing groundwater irrigation in India: a growing debate. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 34(1):132-145. (Special issue: Politics and Policies for Water Resources Management in India). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2017.1329137]
Groundwater irrigation ; Solar energy ; Pumps ; Photovoltaic systems ; Carbon dioxide ; Emission ; Economic viability ; Technology assessment ; Metering ; Subsidies ; Social aspects ; Policy / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048481)
(1.22 MB)
India is on a path to reduce its carbon emission intensity with a major thrust on increasing the grid-connected solar photovoltaic capacity. However, the carbon footprint in agriculture is on the rise. Heavy subsidies for electricity and diesel to pump groundwater for irrigated agriculture, combined with lack of regulations on water withdrawal, are resulting in both groundwater over-exploitation and increased carbon emissions. Some researchers and practitioners have suggested large-scale promotion of solar pumps for well irrigation as a way to make agricultural growth carbon-neutral and groundwater use in farming sustainable. This article examines whether solar pumps for groundwater irrigation are technically feasible and economically viable in India.
3 Kumar, M. D.; Reddy, V. R.; Narayanamoorthy, A.; Bassi, N.; James, A. J. 2018. Rainfed areas: poor definition and flawed solutions. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 34(2):278-291. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2017.1278680]
Rainfed farming ; Irrigated land ; Watershed management ; Development programmes ; Irrigation schemes ; Catchment areas ; Runoff ; Arid zones ; Groundwater ; Crop production ; Economic aspects / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048507)
(1.07 MB)
This article questions the criterion used by government of India to classify agricultural areas into ‘rainfed’ and ‘irrigated’, merely on the basis of percentage of area under irrigation, in spite of the vast differences in the biophysical and socio-economic characteristics between areas classified as ‘rainfed’. This criterion fails to consider the agro-climate and hydro-meteorology of the area, which decide whether crops can be grown under rainfed conditions or require irrigation. Watershed development interventions, which are usually prescribed for agricultural development of rainfed areas, are bound to fail when rainfall is low and aridity is high, and strategically, interventions should be based on agro-ecology and hydro-meteorology.
4 Bassi, N.; Schmidt, G.; De Stefano, L. 2020. Water accounting for water management at the river basin scale in India: approaches and gaps. Water Policy, 22(5):768-788. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2020.080]
Water accounting ; Water management ; River basins ; Systematic reviews ; Water resources ; Water allocation ; Water availability ; Water balance ; Water use efficiency ; Water quality ; Water supply ; Water demand ; Water policy ; Groundwater ; Conflicts ; Rain / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050092)
(0.55 MB)
The main objective of this research paper is to assess the extent to which the concept of water accounting has been applied for water management at the river basin scale in India. For this, the study first assesses the importance given to the use of water accounting for water management in India's national water policy. It then analyses the evolution of water accounting approaches in India through a systematic review of the past research studies on the theme. Further, it looks at their contribution to decision-making concerning allocation of water resources and resolving conflicts over water sharing. Finally, it identifies the existing gaps in the methodologies for water accounting so far used in India.
5 Kumar, M. D.; Kumar, S.; Bassi, N.. 2022. Factors influencing groundwater behaviour and performance of groundwater-based water supply schemes in rural India. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 22p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.2021866]
Water supply ; Groundwater recharge ; Aquifers ; Drinking water ; Water levels ; Water depth ; Water use ; Irrigation water ; Infiltration ; Monsoons ; Rain ; Policies ; Rural areas ; Sustainability ; Models / India / Maharashtra
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050915)
(1.48 MB)
This study investigates the factors influencing groundwater behaviour during the monsoon using data on rainfall, pre-monsoon depth of the water levels, groundwater level fluctuations, aquifer specific yield, and soil infiltration characteristics. It shows the effect of pre-monsoon depth of the water levels along with rainfall, soil infiltration and specific yield in controlling recharge during the monsoon. It also explores the factors influencing the performance of drinking water schemes. It shows that the intensity of irrigation demand, extent of gravity-based surface irrigation, aquifer storage space, and the aquifer recharge potential are important determinants for the sustainability of the groundwater-based drinking water schemes.
6 Kumar, M. D.; Bassi, N.; Verma, M. S. 2022. Direct delivery of electricity subsidy to farmers in Punjab: will it help conserve groundwater? International Journal of Water Resources Development, 38(2):306-321. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.1899900]
Electricity supplies ; Subsidies ; Groundwater ; Water conservation ; Pricing ; Farmers ; Irrigation ; Wells ; Water use ; Water allocation ; Energy ; Rain ; Cropping systems ; Models / India / Punjab
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050952)
(1.33 MB)
The article argues that the recently introduced model for the direct delivery of an energy subsidy to well-irrigators in Indian Punjab aimed at incentivizing them to conserve electricity and groundwater is on a weak conceptual footing. Energy quota based on connected load will only lead to the resource-rich appropriating the subsidy benefits. Reduced use of well water to irrigate paddy will not arrest depletion as a large proportion of that water returns to the aquifer. The article suggests some institutional alternatives for bringing about long-term changes in the groundwater balance of Punjab based on sound water-use hydrology and the use of technology and market forces.
7 Breitenmoser, L.; Quesada, G. C.; Anshuman, N.; Bassi, N.; Dkhar, N. B.; Phukan, M.; Kumar, S.; Babu, A. N.; Kierstein, A.; Campling, P.; Hooijmans, C. M. 2022. Perceived drivers and barriers in the governance of wastewater treatment and reuse in India: insights from a two-round Delphi study. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 182:106285. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106285]
Wastewater treatment ; Water governance ; Water reuse ; Water scarcity ; Water supply ; Water resources ; Governmental organizations ; Financing ; Monitoring ; Infrastructure ; Sewage ; Policies ; Case studies / India / Uttar Pradesh / Telangana / Maharashtra / Tamil Nadu / Kanpur / Hyderabad / Nagpur / Chennai
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051103)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344922001331/pdfft?md5=ab13d7064ea96ce034c0d4bb2b04c2bd&pid=1-s2.0-S0921344922001331-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051103.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051103.pdf
(1.94 MB) (1.94 MB)
Wastewater treatment and reuse practices are limited in India despite the known benefits of preventing water resources pollution and contributing to sustainable production and consumption systems. We identify the perceived key drivers and barriers to wastewater treatment and reuse governance in a two-round Delphi study, including literature and case study analyses and consultation with 75 panelists. Panelists indicated that the most significant driver for wastewater treatment and water reuse is persistent water scarcity that necessitates diversification to alternative water supplies. In contrast, the most significant barriers are the lack of enforcement of pollution monitoring and control, the lack of an umbrella directive for integrated water resources management, and insufficient collaboration between responsible governmental organizations, central and state water authorities. Given the absence of central guidelines, only a few Indian states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat or Punjab have adopted effective governance structures. These states showcase that defined reuse standards can create successful wastewater treatment and reuse practices but require target-based regulations which are enforced and regularly monitored and financing mechanisms for their long-term operation. The new effluent discharge standards by the National Green Tribunal, the government support programmes, and increasing water scarcity in many parts of India will supposedly drive innovative wastewater treatment and reuse structures. Panelists agreed that efforts are needed to develop technology guiding frameworks following the fit-for-purpose principle and that strengthening institutional and monitoring capacity is crucial to increase confidence in the quality of recovered water resources, create demand, and ultimately safeguard human health and the environment.
8 Taneja, Garima; Katyaini, S.; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Chaturvedi, K.; Mitra, Archisman; Verma, Shilp; Bassi, N.. 2023. Proceedings of the Workshop of the Stakeholder Consultation on Policy Coherence among Food, Land, and Water Systems in India, New Delhi, India, 16 June 2023. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS). 10p.
Food systems ; Land resources ; Water systems ; Policy coherence ; Stakeholders ; State intervention ; Government ; Development programmes ; Livelihoods ; Sustainability / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052104)
(803 KB)
Under the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS), International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Council for Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) jointly organized a National Stakeholder Workshop on “Policy Coherence for Food, Land, and Water” in India on 16th June 2023 at India Habitat Center in New Delhi. Guided by NITI Aayog, an apex public policy think tank of the Government of India, IWMI and CEEW researched the policy landscape at the national level in the food, land, and water (FLW) sectors, shortlisting seven central government schemes to understand ways to strengthen policy coherence and impact. The workshop was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, NITI Aayog and 17 government and civil society organizations working in the food, land, and water sectors. Under the able guidance of Debashree Mukherjee (Special Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti) and Avinash Mishra (Advisor, NITI Aayog), the participants discussed the study’s key recommendations, existing institutional mechanisms to catalyze coherence, harnessing synergies and balancing trade-offs across the food, land, and water sectors.
9 Vaidya, H.; Tiwari, K.; Rajadhyaksha, N. P.; Shinde, V. R.; Wong, T.; Kulkarni, H.; Dickens, Chris; Tortajada, C.; Bassi, N.; Pandey, V. P.; Jain, A.; Shaw, R.; Anshuman; Mishra, R. R.; Kaur, I.; Bahure, K.; Gupta, T.; Shah, H.; Subramanian, A.; Kumar, K. 2023. Ensuring water security. White Paper. Ahmedabad, India: Urban20 (U20). 25p.
Water security ; Integrated water resources management ; Urban planning ; Cities ; Infrastructure ; Nature-based solutions ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Social capital ; Human capital ; Financing ; Partnerships ; Networks
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052165)
https://www.u20india.org/Content/WhitePaper/EWS_White%20Paper.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052165.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052165.pdf
(4.05 MB) (4.05 MB)
10 Taneja, Garima; Negi, U.; Shukla, S.; Joshi, T.; Neog, K.; Katyaini, S.; Mitra, Archisman; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Bassi, N.; Verma, Shilp. 2023. Proceedings of the State-level Consultation Workshop on Policy Coherence in the Food, Land, and Water Systems: Case Study of Odisha, India, Odisha, India, 14 December 2023. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies. 17p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052667)
(909 KB)
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) organized a state consultation workshop on 14 December 2023 on ‘Policy Coherence in Food, Land, and Water (FLW) Systems: A case study of Odisha’ at Bhubaneswar as a part of the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies Initiatives (NPS). The Food, Land and Water (FLW) project aims to identify key state-level policies in the food, land, and water systems that have a practical scope for improving coherence and hold most potential for creating an impact. The workshop was organized in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha.
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