Feature Article

Pagara Masonry Dam was constructed about 94 years from now during the period 1911-1917 in Gwalior (M.P.). After construction, it has breached/damaged and rehabilitated three times.

In hydro electric projects, grouting plays an important role in controlling the seepage and improvement in rock strength for the construction of underground as well as surface structures. The Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Power Station (NJHPS) 1500 MW, the largest hydropower station in India under operation, and downstream Rampur Hydro Electric Project (RHEP) 412 MW, presently under advanced stage of construction, and planned to run in tandem are both located on river Satluj in the Himalayan region.

Small hydropower (SHP) is one of the most common renewable, economic, non-consumptive, non-radioactive, non-polluting and environmentally benign sources of energy. A vast potential of small hydropower is available on canals falls under the range of low head hydropower schemes.

The current global urban population is expected to double by 2050, with 90 percent of urban growth taking place in developing countries. Many cities are ill equipped to handle such large-scale expansion. Various cities are starting to recognise urban
agriculture as an integral part of urban planning, upgrading and design. They are including urban agriculture in land use planning, social housing programmes and slum upgrading. This article describes some examples of their strategies.

The financial crisis of 2007/2008 had far-reaching impacts on developing countries, especially in cities which are more directly embedded in the global economy. Declining economic activity, negative effects on the terms of trade with the rich world and consequent job losses, as well as reduced remittances from family members working abroad, disproportionately affected urban households.

Pig raising is one of the main activities carried out by urban farmers in periurban areas of northern and southern Lima, due to a lack of water for irrigation in the desert climate. The RUAF FStT programme collaborated with the producer organisation
AGROSILVES to improve the productivity and profitability of its farmer members, by applying the production chain approach and strengthening their organisation.

The objective of Agromere, a planning concept for an area situated in the rapidly growing Dutch city of Almere (185,000 inhabitants), was to explore opportunities to re-integrate agriculture into modern Dutch city life, while at the same time
inspiring stakeholders to incorporate urban agriculture in the city’s actual development plan. Through a combined stakeholder and design process, a virtual city district on 250 ha was designed which integrates living space (for 5,000 inhabitants)

Agricultural development towards food, nutrition and livelihood security is high on the political agenda in Sri Lanka. A number of national programmes (e.g. Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu 2007-2010 and Divi Neguma) have focussed on achieving greater self-sufficiency at household level in order to reach a higher GDP in the agricultural sector with higher economic returns. Recently, national priorities have included the development of food-secure resilient cities, and in this regard, the Western Province has been a forerunner, having commenced its urban agriculture campaign already in 2000.

The growth of militant left radicalism, known as the Naxalite movement in official documents and civil society discussions, has acquired considerable prominence in the public policy discourse, media coverage and interaction with social scientists. The subject has also been deliberated upon in seminars across the country. The Government policy to deal with it has also polarised thinking on how it should be understood and characterised and what would be the most appropriate approach to neutralise its influence.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005 which is a rights-based flagship scheme of the Government of India with effect from 2 February, 2006, guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment in a given financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The MGNREGA is also intended to create durable community assets which would enhance productivity along with an increase in demand for labour. The Act mandates 33 per cent participation of women.