The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has praised women's groups in India for their role in influencing reproductive health policy and encouraging the government to move away from targets and financial incentives.

A number of vocal women's NGOs in India have been instrumental in raising issues of quality of care and client rights and in encouraging the government to move away from method-specific targets, says UNFPA's The State of World Population 1999 report released recently.

Interestingly, in the report, India's absence is glaring with regard to measures taken to develop partnerships with civil society. In contrast, other countries in the South Asian region such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka find mention for having representation of NGOs and civil society organisations in government bodies and in consultations and dialogues.

It is pointed out that in many countries, including India, a strong community for reproductive health and rightsadvocacy existed before the 1994 Cairo conference. While in some countries, the family planning community is a prominent advocate, in India, advocacy involves a broad range of development organisations, it says.

HelpAge India's travelling photography exhibition

On the occasion of the Day of the Elderly on October 1, HelpAge India will organise a nationwide travelling photography exhibition, titled Ageing in India.

The exhibition, being organised jointly with the UN Information Centre to commemorate the International Year of Older Persons, 1999, will be on till October 8 in the Capital. Thereafter, it will traverse 24 cities in the next one year.

The images and text in the exhibition are from a self-funded project conceived by photographer Samar Jodha in 1996 and researched by writer-filmmaker Vijay Jodha. The on-going project has covered 100 elderly out of a research list of 400 all over the country through exhaustive research, interviews, photos and films, a HelpAge India releasesaid.

Commenting on the project, the brothers said they undertook the exercise because an important issue like ageing was not being given the attention it deserved in the media, especially in visual terms. Using photos and text, the exhibition will present a series of engaging human interest stories in the voices of the elderly in all their diversity. The exhibition will also be accessible on the Internet at http//www.socialcommunication.org from September 25.

Chakrata water crisis affects tribals

Twenty-two villages of the tribal belt in Chakrata have been hit by a severe crisis of potable water due to stoppage of 14 drinking water schemes during the rains.

Villagers of this hill region, which falls under Dehra Dun district, are totally dependent on mountain springs for their drinking water needs. The Garhwal Jal Sansthan received a sum of Rs 2 crore from the state government for the rejuvenation of the closed Kunava, Puni and Pelwa potable water schemes.

These schemes, however, have not yetbeen revived by the Jal Nigam. According to P C Kamothi, executive engineer of the Garhwal Jal Sansthan, water was being provided to the inhabitants of 236 villages under 131 potable water schemes of the Chakrata-Kalsi area by the Jal Sansthan.

Kamothi said that extensive damage had been caused to Chakrata's potable water pipelines due to landslides, rubble and incessant rain over the past four months.

Environment Mela

In a unique way to promote awareness about nature conservation among school-children, the Hansraj Morarji Public School in Mumbai is organising Environment Mela-1999.

The mela, which coincides with the diamond jubilee celebrations of the school, which is located in the western suburb, will consist of a series of programmes to create awareness among the students. The school will release a set of cassettes containing songs related to environment, an exhibition of artistically reused waste material and stalls of nature games, food and careers in environment. There will also be afashion show with clothes made of eco-friendly material.