The iconic Minar which is the attraction known to most of the people across the globe, for which people come to Delhi and the one that is known as Qutub Minar came into existence towards the end of the twelfth century.

The foundations were laid by Qutubuddin Aibak, however, the construction was interrupted by his death. Soon to be known worldwide, this iconic landmark was then completed by Iltutmish in A.D. 1230. However, it again got damaged by lightning, therefore, got some repairs from Firoz Shah Tugluq in A.D. 1351-88. Sikandar Lodi also administered some repairs on the tower in A.D. 1503. Standing tall at 72.5m the Minar has Arabic inscriptions and also some Brahmi inscriptions.

Monuments in the Qutub Complex :

• The Tomb of Iltutmish. (Lies north-west to the Quwwatu’l Islam Mosque.)
• Ala’i-Darwaza. (One of the gateways(southern gateway) among four gates constructed by Alau’d-Din-Khalji who also extended the Quwwatu’l Islam Mosque.)
• Ala’i Minar. (Its an incomplete tower started by Alau’d-Din-Khalji who wanted to make it double the size of the Qutub Minar.)
• Tomb of Imam Zamin. (Located to the immediate east of Ala’i Darwaza.)
• Serai. (Located at the eastern entrance gateway of Qutub Complex.)
• There is a Mughal garden in the north of the complex, and a mosque is there in the westside.
• Sanderson’s Sundial and Major Smith’s Cupola. (Located south-east of the Qutub Minar.)

One can reach Qutub Minar by metro or by bus although it is more convenient by Metro only. A single ticket can be bought for Rs. 40 for Indian nationals, however, the price is different for foreign tourists.

Address:
Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi 110030

Safdarjung’s Tomb is a sandstone and marble stone built monument and is the last Mughal Structure. This heritage site has a very imposing presence with its arched red brown and white colored structures and is a historical monument that is a popular tourist spot in Delhi.

The foundations were laid by Nawab Shujaud Daula  in the memory of his father Ahmad Shah Bahadur. The construction phase was from 1753-1754. The tomb was designed by an Abyssinian architect.

Safdarjung Tomb has the cultural aspects of the Mughals in its architecture. The main tomb is constructed using sandstone and marble stone in the shade of red. Height of the main tomb is 92ft. There are four towers along with the square chamber that has the tomb in the middle. There are three pavilions and an entrance gate. The three pavilions are known as Badshah Pasand, Jangali Mahal and Moti Mahal.

One can reach Sabdarjung Tomb by metro or by bus although it is more convenient by Metro only. Nearest metro station is Jor Bagh. A single ticket can be bought for Rs. 25 for Indian nationals, however, the price is different for foreign tourists. Opening hours are 7am to 5pm daily.

Address :

Airforce Golf Course, Delhi Race Club, New Delhi, Delhi 110021

Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehra Dun was established in 1878. It was declared a deemed university by UGC in 1991. Its primary importance is due to its prominence in the field of forest studies and also because it trains officers that are selected through UPSC exam under Indian Forest Services. The campus hosts Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy(IGNFA) and also enrols a large number of PhD students every year under different research topic.

The main building consists of six museums that are :

• Pathology Museum.
• Social Forestry Museum.
• Silviculture Museum.
• Timber Museum.
• Non-Wood Forest Products Museum.
• Entomology Museum.

Each one of these has exhibits related to forest studies one can see and understand. C.G. Blomfield was the architect behind this beautifully constructed building who focused on Greeko Roman Architecture. After its inauguration in 1925, it is now a very famous national heritage site visited by thousands of Indians as well as foreign tourist. One can take a guided tour for Rs. 50.

Address :
Chakarata Rd, New Forest, P.O, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248006

Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship. It was opened on 13th November 1986 and since then became a famous global tourist spot because of its unconventional flower-like structure. It is situated in New Delhi and is close to Kalkaji Mandir Metro Station from where one can either take a walk or get a rickshaw till the entry point.

Fariborz Sahba was the man behind this wonderful architecture who looked after the construction after being approached to design the temple in 1976.

The entire building consists of 27 petals-like structure which is arranged in groups of three to make nine sides of the building. These marble-clad petals made this temple prominent among other heritage sites. Its a Bahá’í House of Worship meaning anyone irrespective of their religion can enter the premise and follow the Bahá’í principle of reverence that is to gather, reflect and worship. One can feel peace and satisfaction after visiting this place. Its surrounded by lush-green gardens well-maintained by the several authorities.

Its open from 9 AM to 7 PM in the summer season. During winter it gets closed two hours early than usual i.e 5 PM. The best part is that there is no entry fee however, you have to take special permission to take photographs there.

Address :
Lotus Temple Rd, Bahapur, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Delhi 110019.

precipitation from the atmosphere. Some countries have large fresh water resources. The benefits these countries enjoy due to their vast fresh water resources are numerous.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-most-freshwater-resources.html

Courtesy WION

Water is a bone of contention between neighboring states competing for control of those resources. Since 1948, nearly 40 incidents of hostilities have taken place over water. Of the world’s 263 international basins, Asia alone has 57 basins.  The Himalayan rim of South Asia are a key sub-region for examining the impact of water as a negotiating vehicle for promoting cooperation and prosperity.

India

Over the past 150 years India has made large investments in large scale water infrastructure, much of which brings water to previously water-scarce areas. This has resulted in a dramatic economic shift, with once-arid areas becoming the centers of economic growth, while the historically well-watered areas have seen much slower progress. For the most part the results of this “hydraulic infrastructure platform” have been spectacular both nationally (through the production of food grains and electricity, for example) and regionally (where such projects have generated large direct and equally large indirect economic benefits). The poor have benefited hugely from such investments. The incidence of poverty in irrigated districts is one third of that in unirrigated districts[1].

Two-thirds of India’s water resources potential come from only two river basins namely, the Indus and Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM). India occupies a unique position in this respect. There is abundance of Water and Hydro Power potential within the country and in its neighbouring states. The potential can be used both constructively as well as destructively. The first decade of the millennium has been marked by what has often been described as oil wars – confrontation over dwindling hydrocarbon fuel resources. Will the next decade be marked by confrontation over water and hydro energy, or will it be known for cooperation over sharing the natural resources?

One source of optimism is the fact that India has successfully drawn up water resources related bilateral treaties with three of its Asian neighbours – Pakistan, Nepal andBangladesh.

Indo-Pak

With Pakistan, it was the Indus Water Treaty which has completed a mind boggling 48 years of successful implementation. Since its coming into force in 1960 only once in 1999, after construction began, Pakistan claimed some design parameters of Baglihar project violated the Indus Water Treaty. Indus Water Treaty had provided India with exclusive control to three eastern rivers while Pakistan with exclusive control to three western rivers, including Chenab River. However it contained provisions for India to establish river-run power projects with limited reservoir capacity and flow control needed for feasible power generation. Availing the provision, India established several run-of-the-river projects most of which were not objected to by Pakistan. However, in case of Baglihar and Kishan-Ganga projects, Pakistan claimed that some design parameters were more lax than needed for power generation and provided India with excessive ability to accelerate, decelerate or block flow of river. This, it was felt, may give India a strategic leverage in times of tension or war.

During 1999-2004 India and Pakistan held several rounds of talks on the design of projects, but could not reach an agreement. After failure of talks on January 18, 2005Pakistan raised six objections and took up the matter with the World Bank, which was a broker and signatory of Indus Water Treaty. In April 2005 the World Bank determined Pakistani claim as a ‘Difference’, a classification between less serious ‘Question’ and more serious ‘Dispute’ and in May 2005 appointed Professor Raymond Lafitte, a Swiss civil engineer, to adjudicate the difference.

Lafitte declared his final verdict on February 12, 2007, in which he partially upheld some objections of Pakistan declaring that pondage capacity be reduced by 13.5%, height of dam structure be reduced by 1.5 meter and power intake tunnels be raised by 3 meters, thereby limiting some flow control capabilities of earlier design. However he rejected Pakistani objections on height and gated control of spillway declaring these were conforming to engineering norms of the day.

Both parties (India and Pakistan) have already agreed that they will abide by the final verdict. This peaceful settlement of the only major discord in nearly half a century is an even greater achievement, considering the fact that the two neighbors have gone to war thrice on other issues.

[1] World Bank Report, India’s Water Economy: Bracing for a Turbulent Future, John Briscoe