Increasingly, scientists and activists are enabling citizen observers to collect data and upload it to the cloud with the aim of pushing all stakeholders — government agencies, corporations and citizens — toward change.
Official rainfall data showed that rainfall was normal for those years and yet the farming lands were fallow and dry.” Additionally, says Umrbek Allakulov, Research and Development Officer at Water Integrity Network, government agencies and research centers in developing countries may not have the ability to monitor and test water quality.
Freshwater Watch has active projects in Delhi’s Yamuna river and Hyderabad’s lakes.
And people supporting citizen data gathering say they have seen outside data lead to change.
“The measurements were used as evidence to advocate policy change,” she says.
She hopes it’ll encourage citizens to log data about air, water and soil in the Climatix app.
Sometimes, needed information goes beyond simple observations on water levels or color; it can require doing a quick lab test on the go.
But the local administration and police department of Nalgonda were responsive: The water authorities promised to monitor the filtration plant and close off contaminated wells.
“When data is collected in India, it is not only about water and sanitation but also demographics,” says Das of Water Integrity Network.
Her mantra: “What we can measure, we can manage.” Chhavi Sachdev is a freelance reporter in India.