Lake in transition

The Pushkar lake dried after dredging last summer. The dredging was part of a lake conservation project funded by the Centre and the Rajasthan government.   The Rs 48-crore project aims to spruce up the catchment and concretize existing channels that carry the run-off. The latter is to curb losses through evaporation and seepage when water flows from the catchment to the lake through feeder channels after rains. The four-metre-deep dredging was done to accommodate the water that might flow into the lake.

Letters

Farmers’ fundamental right We must have the right to decide whether we want to eat Bt brinjal (‘Don’t make a mash of it’, February 16-28, 2010). Similarly, farmers should also have the right to decide what food to grow since they will be affected the most. Why just Bt brinjal, farmers will be affected adversely by any genetically modified (GM) crop. Such crops will steal their freedom of choosing seeds.

Letters

Relocated and damned It is disheartening to learn the plight of residents of Bikhnathori village in Bihar who don’t have basic facilities like water and electricity (‘Corridor of uncertainty’, March 1-15, 2010).

Letters

The great telecom hoax I can’t understand why the telecom company, Aircel, has ventured into such a campaign and what it aims to achieve from this (‘1,411 tigers, and unanswered questions’, March 16-31, 2010). Initially, I had thought that the company is trying to lure customers by introducing schemes such as diverting part of the revenue earned from Aircel calls into saving tigers.

The water missionaries

THERE is a missionary zeal about this website. Entrepreneurs are urged to take part in contests to save water. The winner gets $30,000 in cash.

Budget pitches for agriculture

Break the odour

Common sense when nature calls

Waterless urinal not a clear winner Several sanitary ware providers in India now offer waterless urinals with varying technologies. The cost of the ceramic pans is far too high and low-cost plastics yet unexplored. A cheaper option is to retro-fit existing urinals with waterless technologies.

Common sense delivers

Standing in his private water reservoir—the quality doesn’t seem to need any certification— is a man who doesn’t have to wake up at odd hours when the municipality supplies water. He doesn’t need to deepen his borewell every year.

Their own suppliers

Thirty-something Gulab Kunju remembers the days when she would drink milk to quench thirst because drinking water was scarce. Her village Dhaurada had three hand pumps to meet the needs of more than 120 families settled in four hamlets. Each day she would make several trips to the nearest hand pump on the outskirts of her hamlet.