Water and Environment Sanitation Network India

	Citizen's Corner

Press Releases

(WES-Net invites contributions to this section from all)

Plastic Baby Toilet Pans for Child Friendly Toilets
[Date: 28/09/2006, Source: Solution Exchange]
Plastic baby toilet pans (14x12.5 inches size) with attached footrests have been produced by Ganesh Moulds, Chennai. Children using the toilets with these pans will find it comfortable. The project supported by WaterAid through Gramalaya, a NGO in Tamil Nadu, was instrumental in the design and development of plastic toilet pans.

Open-Defecation-Free Rural Maharashtra
[Date: 22/09/2006, Source: WSP Access Newsletter]
The state government of Maharashtra has committed to keeping up momentum for achieving an open-defecation-free (ODF) rural environment in the state. In a workshop held on July 27-28, 2006, supported by the WSP-SA as an annual stocktaking of the rural sanitation program, lessons sharing and discussions of the way forward, the state has set a target of an ODF rural Maharashtra by December 2007.

Stockholm Water Prize
[Date: 19/9/06, Source: Stockholm International Water Institute]
The Stockholm Water Prize is a global award presented annually to an individual, organisation or institution for outstanding water-related activities. The activities can be within the fields of aid, awareness building and education, technology, management or science.
Last date for sending the nominations was 30th Sept. 2006

Seed Funding for Wetlands and Poverty Reduction
[Date: 19/9/06, Source: IRC source News]
Wetlands International - Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Project (WPRP), Wageningen, The Netherlands, will make EUR 350,000 available for the development of up to 20 new project proposals that address wetlands-poverty issues in developing countries over the next 2.5 years up to a maximum amount per proposal of EUR 25,000. Apply before 15th June 2007.

Home Hygiene in Developing Countries
[Date: 18/09/06, Source: IRC Source News]
This book by WSSCC and IFH is developed with the objective of providing practical support for the development of community hygiene promotion programmes aimed at reducing the burden of infectious diseases across the social spectrum in developing countries. It includes key messages need to be communicated in a simple, practical language in order to be understood by people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

WHO Backs Indoor Use of DDT for Controlling Malaria
[Date: 15/09/06, Source: WHO]
The World Health Organization today announced that indoor spraying with DDT and other insecticides will once again play a major role in its efforts to fight malaria. WHO is now recommending the use of indoor residual spraying not only in epidemic areas but also in areas with constant and high malaria transmission, including throughout Africa. The decision comes nearly thirty years after WHO phased out the widespread use of indoor spraying with DDT and other insecticides for malaria control.

Protect and Restore Natural Lakes: SC
[Date: 14/09/06, Source: IATP right-to-water]
A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices S B Sinha and Dalveer Bhandari said: “Natural water storage resources are not only required to be protected but also steps are required to be taken for restoring the same if it has fallen in disuse” in a case filed challenging the decision of Okkiam Thoraipakkam Panchayat Union in Kerala to allow construction of a shopping complex on an abandoned village tank. The Supreme Court has declared that protection of natural lakes and ponds is akin to honouring the most basic fundamental right - the right to life, which is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Turning Farm Waste into Fabrics
[Date: 13/09/06, Source: ENS Newswire]
Researchers at the University of Nebrasaka in Lincoln have developed methods to turn the farm waste like chicken feathers and straw to fabrics that will resemble wool, linen or cotton. The product may take time to reach the markets. This method may revolutionise the use of huge quantities of farm waste product all over the world.

Guidelines for the Safe Use of Wastewater
[Date: 12/09/09, Source: WHO]
To protect public health and facilitate the rational use of wastewater and excreta in agriculture and aquaculture WHO has developed the guidelines for wastewater use in agriculture and aquaculture.

Water Awards from Water Digest
[Date: 11/9/06, Source: Ms.Meghna Bhaduri, Water Digest]
Water Digest, a bi-monthly publication on water related issues, has instituted “Water Awards” for honouring distinguished work carried out in the water sector in India. There are 22 categories of awards out of which 5 awards are for NGOs. Entry fee for NGOs is exempted to enable their participation.
Last date for submitting entries was 30th Sept. 2006
For more details, contact Ms.Meghna Bhaduri or visit www.waterdigest.in

Green, Yes, But Risky Too
[Date: 08/09/2006, Source: India Together]
The central government has just announced that it plans to "dope" petrol with 5% of ethanol, a biofuel made from sugar cane, from November 1. However, this also poses some problems; cars, not people, will be responsible for most of the increase in global grain consumption this year, writes Darryl D'Monte.

World Bank Supports Water Sector in Uttaranchal
[Date: 05/09/06, Source: World Bank]
The World Bank today approved a US$120 million credit to the Indian state of Uttaranchal designed to improve the effectiveness of rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) services through decentralization and an increased role of local governments and communities. The Uttaranchal Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project aims to upgrade areas with no or partial coverage of water supply to full coverage with sustainable service, benefiting at least 1.2 million people, or 20 percent of the rural population. The project will also improve sanitation in about 30 percent of rural communities.

Environmental Small Grants and Fellowship
[Date: 04/09/2006 Source: DevNetJobs.org]
Environmental Equity and Justice Partnership (EEJP) invites applications for Small Grants are invited from eligible grassroots organizations and also for fellowships from eligible individuals based in India. For information on who is eligible and how to apply, please visit the website or email.

Waste Management: Bawana shows the way
[Date: 03/09/2006 Source: Toxics Link]
Toxics Link is carrying out waste management programme in the resettlement colony of Bawana under a joint programme of the UNDP and the National Institute for Urban Affairs. “When we started work there, people were just not bothered about the garbage outside their house and children would be playing amid the waste, leading to diseases. But now one can see a huge transformation,” said Mohammad Tariq, Programme Officer at Toxics Link.