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By Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation The Coronavirus pandemic is the most challenging crisis the world has faced since World War II with unprecedented threat to humanity, paralleled consequences of economic recession, social tensions and psychological health crisis. In fact, it's a human crisis with growing instability and devastating socio-economic unrest. Today, we stand united to garner emotional strength to tackle its profound consequences by responding to the emergency and recover from the socio-economic shock. We are facing a tough situation, radical choices to hear the million voices with a global picture of the COVID-19 invasion seriously grim. According to the UN International Labour Organisation, five to 25 million jobs will be eradicated while UNESCO forecast that 1.5 billion students out of school. In Asia and the Pacific, the impacts of the pandemic have reverberated soundly among its population of more than 4 billion and in its network of vi...

By Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation Congratulations on winning the #Padmaawards for the year 2020. We, at India Water Foundation is elated to hear individual’s diverse and momentous endeavors. The award is a reflection of the endless dedication and sincere efforts towards their work which they truly deserve. Their innovative and out-of-box solutions make them distinguished as true Champions of Change. On the eve of 71st Republic Day 2020, Padma awards were given to citizens of India in recognition of their contribution to the society in spheres such as education, literature, science, medicine, social service, etc. Eminent personalities like George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and Kannada spiritual icon Sri Vishveshateertha Swami of Pejavar Matt were chosen for the second-highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan posthumously. We have individuals like Harekala Hajabba, who understood the importance of education in today's time and put in eff...

“Even our capital New Delhi, home to more than 20 million people, is ranks at 11th place, making it the world's most polluted capital. Air pollution steals our livelihoods and our future. We can't stop breathing, but we can do something about the quality of air that we breathe.” We can't stop breathing, but we can do something about the quality of air that we breathe. Approximately about 4 million deaths take place due to air pollution in Asia-Pacific. As we are aware, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Bengaluru are the hotspot places for declining air pollution standards, taking a heavy toll on our health, mind and even welfare costs. Further, this World Environment Day 2019 it is urged that everybody has ‘Right to Secure Clean Air’. June 5 th offered a unique opportunity to draw attention and to create momentum that compelled everyone to understand the importance of Air Pollution , the theme for this World Environment Day 2019 and its linkages with human health, enviro...

As our Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi highlighted, “we have set a target to become a $5 trillion economy in the next five years, we will have to develop our cities in sync with the 21st century world”.   As India celebrates its World Habitat Day on 7th October 2019 along the theme ‘Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform Waste to Wealth’. The event focuses on the state of human settlements and people’s right to sufficient shelter. It also aims to remind people that they are responsible for the habitat of future generations. The $5 trillion economy shows the new mantra to ensure mobility, connectivity, productivity, safety and sustainability. In India, an impetus under the Smart City Mission projects is already on cards.  A ‘Swachh’ Bharat will lay the foundation for a ‘Swasth’ Bharat and eventually a Samriddh Bharat. The smart cities project should focus on sustainable urbanisation, good governance, transparent metrics and reporting and, impor...

By Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation ‘Reversing land degradation and its outcomes while accelerating positive achievements for people and for ecosystems with a view to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals’ is the core agenda of the fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14). COP14 is taking place on 2-13 September 2019 at the India Mart and Expo, in the Greater Noida area of New Delhi, India. With special reference to India , the menace of land degradation is increasing where fertile land gradually deteriorates into a wasteland. Also,the Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought (DLDD) report also indicates that water erosion (37.4%), wind erosion (18.9%) and salinity (3.8%) in India have amplified the case for land degradation. This can be disastrous. Climatic variations and human activities such as overgrazing, deforestation, agricultural activities, overexploitation of v...

‘With 600 million young people, India is the youngest nation in the world, with at least half of the country’s 1.2 billion population comprised of people under the age of 26. According to the #IndiaSkillsReport 2018, over 12 million youth between 15 and 29 years will enter India’s labor force every year over the next two decade’. The theme for #InternationalYouthDay2019 is ' #TransformingEducation' , highlighting efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth. Looking at the vagaries of #climatechange, it becomes utmost necessity to engage youth more actively because they are the Conscience keepers of our #Environment, acting as stewards who can largely involve & embrace #ClimateResiliencestrategies in making positive contributions to their communities. Going by the words of Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations , “Education today should combine knowledge, life skills and critical thinking” , and should include information...

Are we nearing towards Dry days amidst water crisis? The case of Chennai so far aptly justifies it.  Droughts in 2018 has rippling effects till date which is further accompanied by dried water bodies and depleting ground water levels. It also justifies Niti Aayog’s report of 21 Indian cities fearing to run out of groundwater by 2020, which includes Chennai. This grim water scenario in Chennai and also in other states of Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh is a challenge for the country’s water security as well. We cannot defer such acute water shortage but can definitely attempt to find a feasible solution. Chennai must embrace an Integrated approach towards water management which must prudently involve strong political consensus to prioritize ‘Water Preservation, Conservation & Management which should be accompanied by strong institutional mechanism to back up political promises. But wait, let’s not forget the community actors like civil societies, RWAs, Self Help Gr...