•  High land Aquatic Resources Conservation and Sustainable Development

Sponsored by: European Commission

       Objective: Situation analysis of highland aquatic resources and associated bio diversity and ecosystem services in Asia.

This project aims to i) save the Red Listed Species, ii) to find out the cause and iii) the conservation methods for the “Endangered Species”. This project is a joint venture with IUCN (UK) and the University of Essex. Here the species are not only the animal species instead both plant and animal species. This project simultaneously links India and other countries like China and Vietnam to work for the conversation of the endangered species of their respective areas.

The inaugural seminar in Kolkata in the month of June 2009 had representatives from all the participating countries.

 

The objectives:-

1.       Provide a detailed situation analysis of highland aquatic resources and associated biodiversity and ecosystems services.

2.      It will be followed by participatory action planning focused on conservation, livelihoods and policy.

3.      Species distribution mapping.

Extensive field work has been done and is ongoing in Uttarakhand and in north Bengal.

 

• Rejuvenation of 22 km stretches of water body of Adiganga in South Kolkata, West Bengal

Sponsored by: Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management (IESWM), Govt. of West Bengal

Objective: The project primarily propose to rejuvenate the Adiganga through de-siltation in stretches where it is badly steed up and merge the disconnected water bodies through removal and replacing of the cross embankments with bridges. This project deals with the preservation of the river Ganga, its purification and beautification of its embankments with gardens. Due to the impurities, the quality of aquatic life is seriously affected. Many species are on the verge of extinction. The impurities contaminated the water, raising the temperature of water which is very harmful for the aquatic life.

• Valuation of Public Goods: East Kolkata Wetlands, a special case study

Sponsored by: ICSSR

Objective: The objective is to develop a model which will best address the problem of economic assessment of the services generated by East Kolkata Wetlands and thereby help in preserving these peri-urban wetlands from urban encroachment, by means of augmenting the resource endowments of the stakeholders of East Kolkata Wetlands. 

 

• Social Leadership among Muslim Women in West Bengal

Sponsored by: ICSSR

Objective: This project seeks to undertake a study of social leadership among Muslim women in West Bengal, in the wake of “women empowerment” in Indian society.

 

• People of the East Kolkata Wetlands: their life and living------ a Report

Objective: This project is in the process of preparing a detailed report on the life and living of the people inhabiting the East Kolkata Wetlands area on the basis of a household survey involving 26007 households carried out in 2006-07. A similar survey, but on a smaller scale, is about to be undertaken for an idea of the present scenario in the area, so that the said report acquires a contemporary relevance.