My write-up on the Water Integirty Forum, Netherlands published in a regional UNDP Newsletter

The 1st Water Integrity Forum was a very interesting experience for me. I participated as a speaker on Day 1 and represented the Sri Lanka Water Partnership (SLWP)who have been doing some great work in curbing sand mining along two major rivers - Maha Oya and Deduru Oya. SLWP has been instrumental in building a robust platform for information exchange and interaction between hitherto isolated sectors. Thanks to SLWP and NetWwater (Network for Women Water Professionals), today there is an active exchange between the regulator GSMB, the STF - a paramilitary arm of the police, many universities, community organizations and other NGOs on the sand mining issue. Although it is in a nascent stage,There is much that other countries can learn from this science-policy-industry interface in Sri Lanka. More on that later.

Anyway, was invited to write a short article about my experience at the Forum for a regional UNDP Newsletter. I'm happy to see that it was not edited in any way before being published. Here is the link
http://www.regionalcentrelac-undp.org/en/local-governance-and-decentralization-newsletter-0

My interviews on the Water Channel

Some of you may have found this blog through the videos but those of you who just landed here through other ways might be interested in viewing these videos on the water channel where I speak about my research on sand mining and why it is so crucial that we give this topic the attention it deserves.

While academic papers are important, very often they lie in a half-forgotten realm and do little but collect dust. Unless of course the author is a hotshot academician in which case, many want to read the latest research findings even before they can complete the paper. Videos such as these help bring home the importance of such issues to daily life, to everyone who does not necessarily have access to academic journals but is keen on learning more. Abraham Abhishek from the water channel has done an excellent job at creating these videos. Full credit goes to him for making the topic so much more accessible to all. Here are the links :

http://www.thewaterchannel.tv/en/videos/categories/viewvideo/1872/sand-water-people-profits

http://www.thewaterchannel.tv/en/videos/categories/viewvideo/1942/sand-mining-in-india-greed-corruption-and-plunder

 

Link to my older blog

Hi everyone,

I realised that I had I started blogging with blogger primarily because it allowed me to use a widget from a third-party that wordpress wouldn't allow unless I paid extra. But in making the transition, I may have lost a great of continuity and richness that was part of my earliest inspiration. So if you care to, take a peek @http://rhetoric2reality.wordpress.com/

Yours truly
:)