Written by G. Ramani
BORDA Partner - CDD Regional Cooperation Office, Chennai

A two day exhibition on “Siruthuli Peruvellam-Andrum Indrum” (meaning Small Drops Make an Ocean) was organised by Siruthuli from 17^th – 18^th July 2010 at Coimbatore. Siruthuli is an NGO working for the conservation of water and preservation of water bodies. The staff of CDD Regional Cooperation Office in Chennai participated in the exhibition. The exhibition was inaugurated by Hon’ble Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India. Mr. Pongalur N Palaniswamy, Hon’ble Minister for Rural Industries, Government of Tamilnadu was also present at the occasion.

Written by Ajit Seshadri
BORDA Partner – The Vigyan Vijay Foundation

In the progress of project “Youth for Water”, VVF created a special programme to provide awareness and create interest in youth on carrying out assessment of water resources in watersheds using GPS. For the first time, GPS tools which are hand-held and look like a mobile phone were used to map and audit water. During the course of the programme, community persons and youth were explained in detail the importance of water resources, however small. A few water sheds were identified in a larger area where detailed instructions were given using GPS mapping and audit kit.

Written by Pranai Thapa
BORDA Partner – LEDeG

Water Demand and Environmental Issues
Water and good land can often be found in juxtaposition but it is the provision of the necessary power for lifting water which is so often the primary constraint, especially in mountainous regions where water sources are at lower levels than irrigation areas. Human muscle power or domestic animals have been used since antiquity and still are being used in many parts of the world, to lift and distribute water. These techniques are often extremely costly in real terms due to the low productivity that is achieved.

Written by V. Ganapathy
BORDA Partner - ExNoRa International

To ensure access to toilets and drinking water and thus reach the MDG goals, the right to sanitation and water should be made a fundamental constitutional right of every citizen. This was the major recommendation of the National Conference on Cost-Effective Sustainable Sanitation, an Indian Experience organised from 28^th June – 1^st July 2010 in New Delhi by WASH Institute and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation of the Government of India. Over 100 papers were presented at the Conference which was inaugurated by Mrs. Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of New Delhi. In her address, the Chief Minister stressed the need for decentralised and participatory programmes to tackle liquid and solid waste management challenges which were defying easy solutions despite very many well-thought out programmes during the past two decades.

Written by G. William
BORDA Partner - RLHP

In the context of increasing urbanisation, which has adversely impacted the limited sanitation facilities that exist in India, the need has been felt for long-term planning wherein local bodies will incorporate provision and management of sanitation facilities and services. The inclusion of DEWATS in policies and by-laws would enable Government to provide sanitation solutions on a broader scale reaching out to marginalised groups. This calls for up-scaling of basic needs services. Against this backdrop a one-day District-level Seminar on ‘Decentralised Approach to Wastewater Treatment’ was conducted on 16^th July 2010 in the Town Hall, Corporation, Mandya, to address these issues with a holistic perspective. The objectives were to disseminate information on DEWATS and the National Urban Sanitation Policy and thereby motivate Government Departments to include DEWATS in ULB by-laws and schemes.