Villagers in Rajasthan restore grasslands to save the Great Indian bustard

Villagers in Rajasthan restore grasslands to save the endangered Great Indian bustard

Farmers in Rajasthan are regrowing sewan grass in an effort to save the endangered great Indian bustard, which is suitable habitat for the birds. Locally called godawan, the great Indian bustard (GIB) is facing the impact of development and is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The birds are large, standing about one metre tall and weighing 15-18 kg.

Many of the birds are also facing the threat of power lines as they are unable to detect power lines from far, and fail to manoeuvre quickly when high tension power lines cross their path, making collision and death inevitable. Another major reason for the loss of the bird has been the loss of their habitats. The GIBs live in two habitats – one near Pokhran and the other in the Desert National Park near the towns of Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan.

ERDS Foundation has been trying to restore the grassland with community support. In Dholia, the sarpanch has sanctioned 50 hectares of land for growing sewan grass under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). ERDS Foundation, along with the Habitats Trust, New Delhi, is monitoring a total of 70 hectares around the village, besides helping the local farmers grow sewan in another 10 acres.

Currently, four areas – Dholia, Khetolai, Lakhi and Chandan – in Pokhran are developing sewan grasslands. Besides helping bustards, sewan has been helpful to retain the natural balance of the ecosystem, it has been found to be nutritious and thus provides good fodder for the cows (Village Square).

Shifting to millets found to increase groundwater recharge in Northern India

The Ganga basin is experiencing significant groundwater depletion in recent years, raising questions about the sustainability of present agricultural practices. Crop switching has been recommended as one of the solutions to address this unsustainable water consumption.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, University of Delaware, Columbia University and Yale School of the Environment analysed the impacts of crop shifting on groundwater in 124 districts of three states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal covering the upper, middle and lower Ganga basin in the agricultural belt of India.

The study compared the benefits of crop switching vis-a-vis improving irrigation efficiency and flooding to drip irrigation and found that there was a larger reduction in groundwater depletion and energy savings with the first method. However, a combination of crop switching and drip irrigation showed the greatest improvements in net recharge at a district level and reduced groundwater depletion by 78 percent. Shifting from the rice–wheat system to nutri cereals also helped in the provision of more micronutrients and proteins than rice and wheat (Down To Earth).

Bengaluru scientists achieve a breakthrough in treating industrial waste with nanoenzymes

Scientists of Materials Research Centre at Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science have developed enzymes that can degrade toxic chemicals in industrial wastewater in the presence of sunlight. This discovery could be very vital as only 60 percent of industrial wastewater from large scale industries, is treated. 

Enzymes are proteins that can catalyse a large number of biological reactions in living beings. While the practical use of natural enzymes has many limitations. such as sensitivity to denaturation (breakdown/damage), complex production procedures, high costs, and difficulties in recycling. Apart from this, mass production of enzymes is an expensive and time-consuming process. Apart from this, storage of natural enzymes is difficult as they are temperature-sensitive and require cooler temperatures.

Researchers at IISc have created nano-sized enzyme mimetics or nanozymes in the laboratory that can mimic natural enzymes and degrade pollutants present in the wastewater by oxidising them in the presence of sunlight, thereby reducing the toxicity of wastewater (Indian Narrative).

Herbal farming thrives in Uttarakhand hills

Herbal farming is slowly picking up in the hilly villages of Uttarakhand with women sitting together in open courtyards, carefully plucking the leaves off tender stems before spreading them out to dry in the sun.  Many women in the villages grow herbs such as rosemary, lemongrass, oregano, basil, lemon balm, chamomile, and stevia on their terraced fields. Some like thyme and jambu – Allium stracheyi, a local culinary herb – grow wild and carpet the fields and rocky forest pathways.

What has encouraged residents to do herbal farming in Uttarakhand is the minimal investment required to start and NGOs and the state horticulture department have provided the plants for a nominal cost or even for free, helping farmers reclaim barren and neglected patches of land for this new venture.

It has now become an enticing avenue for generating incomes complementing what the farmers earn from traditional crops like fruits and lentils. Many herbs, like oregano, rosemary, mint, and thyme, are hardy and adaptable to suboptimal conditions. They can withstand the region’s heavy monsoon rainfall and the challenges posed by mountain weather.

Herbs like parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, and lemongrass have gained popularity due to the increasing consumption of cuisines such as Italian and Thai. Herbs like rosemary, chamomile, and stevia are experiencing growing demand due to their perceived health benefits (Village Square).

Marine organisms riding on plastic, rubber and glass wastes found to threaten biodiversity 

A recent study has found that marine organisms took piggyback rides on plastic, rubber, glass, foam sponge, metal and wood debris to reach the shores of southeastern India, raising concerns about local biodiversity conservation.

This study on the Bay of Bengal coast, from Puducherry to Parangipettai in Tamil Nadu, was conducted at eight sites with four urban sites being Puducherry, Silver Beach, Samiyarpettai and Puthupettai while the remaining four sites were small villages with limited fishing activity.

The study found seventeen encrusting species that stuck on surrounding surfaces. These included  arthropods, moss animals, study, annelids, cnidarians, chlorophyta and foraminifera. The team collected 3130 specimens/colonies attached to 20 types of marine litter, mostly plastic fragments, bottle caps, lids, bottles, jars and food containers.

The urban sites reported more litter and plastics that carried more organisms compared to other materials. The study concluded that such ecosystem changes could be irreversible and potentially damaging to biodiversity and livelihoods suggesting detailed studies and conservation measures (Mongabay, India).

This is a roundup on important news updates from 1st October to 15th October 2023.