Source South Asia 2008, issue 8

Published - 30 Sep 08

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: threat of water shortage through groundwater depletion

Afghanistan is facing a severe water shortage through overuse of the country's groundwater. The situation is being exacerbated by drought and poor water management.

Bangladesh: renewed concerns about arsenic contamination

New field surveys in Bangladesh have discovered worrying levels of arsenic in soil, water and crops. Arsenic contamination is a long-standing problem in Bangladesh.

India: survey reveals inadequate standards of hygiene

A survey conducted in 10 countries has revealed that handwashing and other hygiene standards are way below par in India. 18% of people admit that they do not wash their hands before eating, while 78% of surfaces in homes were found to have unsatisfactory levels of bacterial contamination.

India, Tamil Nadu: improved water and sanitation for refugees

A new project being run by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is to provide improved water and sanitation facilities for thousands of refugees from Sri Lanka's civil war living in camps in Tamil Nadu, India.

India, Karnataka: protests against water prices in Mangalore

A row has broken out in the city of Mangalore about increased tariffs for water supplies. A slight reduction of the tariff by the ruling BJP has not quelled the protests.

India: officials sacked for not installing flushing toilets at home

Elected officials in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh have been sacked for not installing flushing toilets in the their homes. Under new laws, elected representatives have to fit toilets in their homes within a year.

Maldives: new community almost ready for occupancy

A completely new community on the previously uninhabited island of Raa Dhuvaafaru is almost ready for its new residents. Five buildings, which will be at the heart of community, were recently handed over to the government of the Maldives.

Nepal: students have to walk 30 minutes to defecate in the jungle

Students at a secondary school in Parbat, Dhawalagiri, have to walk 30 minutes to defecate in the bush and jungle because the school has no operational toilets. The school has no funds to build new sanitation facilities.

Nepal: campaign launched to mitigate cholera

The government of Nepal, UNICEF, UN-HABITAT and NGO Guthi have launched a joint campaign to control an outbreak of cholera in the Kathmandu Valley region. So far, there have been 200 recorded cases of the disease this year.

Pakistan, Northern Areas: Japan signs agreement to fund water supply schemes

Japan has signed an agreement to provide a grant worth US$ 132,826 support drinking water supply schemes in the Northern Areas of Pakistan.

Sri Lanka: VAT on water for poor consumers

The government of Sri Lanka has introduced VAT on water bills of less than 25 units a month. This imposes an extra burden on consumers in the low-income category.

Monitoring: UK and Netherlands allocate €6 million, UN-Water presents pilot report

A new joint initiative from the UK and the Netherlands will allocate €6 million over five years to an annual report and high level meeting focused on reviewing progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water and sanitation. At the same time, the UN-Water launched the Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS).

Sulabh International: giving Clinton Global Initiative lessons on sanitation

The Clinton Global Initiative has asked Indian NGO Sulabh International to share its expertise on sanitation missions to poor countries.

Jharana Thapa: nominated as brand ambassador for End Water Poverty campaign in Nepal

Actress Jharana Thapa has been nominated as brand ambassador for the End Water Poverty campaign, a coalition of NGOs working in the water and sanitation sector in Nepal.

WaterLinks: network for water operators partnerships in the Asia and the Pacific

WaterLinks is a joint initiative of the Asian Development Bank, the International Water Association and USAID aimed at strengthening the ADB's Water Operators Partnership (WOPs) programme.

Project performance: lessons from the Asian Development Bank

A recent study by the Asian Development Bank has revealed that around 30% of the ADB's projects are evaluated as less than successful. This has led to a number of lessons to be learned.

Water treatment: microbiological effectiveness and cost of disinfecting water by boiling in semi-urban India

This study assessed the effectiveness and cost of boiling water in semi-urban India.

Diarrhoeal diseases: factors determining vulnerability to diarrhoea during and after severe floods in Bangladesh

A study of the effects of flooding in Bangladesh found that the risk of cholera and non-cholera diseases was significantly higher among low socioeconomic groups and those with poor sanitation.

Arsenic mitigation: Bangladesh and Viet Nam - different groundwater compositions require different approaches

Strategies to mitigate arsenic in groundwater must take account of local differences. This study compares the situation in Bangladesh and Viet Nam.

Kyoto World Water Grand Prize

The second edition of the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize is to be awarded in March 2009. Nominations for the prize can be submitted until 31 October 2008.

Water supply and sanitation services for the poor: the Gram Vikas experience

This book describes the Rural Health and Environment Programme run by NGO Gram Vikas in Orissa, one of the poorest states in India.

The World Bank as a knowledge producer

This study examines the World Bank's role as a knowledge producer in the water sector in India.

Water first: issues and challenges for nations and communities in South Asia

This book brings together current knowledge and cutting-edge interdisciplinary perspectives on the histories, politics, ecologies and cultures of water in South Asia.

Sanimap: World Sanitation Project Map

At the World Water Week in Stockholm, the Japan Water Forum and the Water Web Alliance launched the World Sanitation Project Map, Sanimap is a new type of communication tool for tackling water problems.

Changing Lives: Rural water schemes in Sri Lanka

This video shows the different stages of the Asian Development Bank's engagement in rural water schemes in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan: Water at the doorstep

This video, produced by the Asian Development Bank, shows how a community-managed water supply and sanitation project transformed Punjab and its people.