Biodiversity

Term Path Alias

/topics/biodiversity

Utilisation of human urine as a source of nutrients for banana and maize cultivation - A compilation of research papers

These papers describe the findings of experiments conducted in the fields in Nagasandra village, Doddaballapura Tq, Bangalore district for one year that studied the usefulness and impact of anthropogenic liquid waste (human urine) as a source of plant nutrient for banana and maize cultivation and evaluated the impact of the use of human urine on crop quality and yield.

Posted on 01 Mar, 2012 02:24 PM

Source separated anthropogenic liquid waste (Human urine) - A potential plant nutrient for banana cultivation

Ignoring precaution, MoEF clears a project which has been categorically rejected by majority Standing Committee of the NBWL

MoEF, which holds the mandate of safeguarding country's environment, has given a completely unjustifiable wildlife clearance to the 1750 MW Demwe Lower Hydroelectric dam on the Lohit river in Arunachal Pradesh (http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Demwe_Lower_Hydroelectric_project.pdf), in face of severe opposition from civil society, experts across country and all the independent members of National Board for Wildlife. This shocking decision has come at the heels of one more such clearance given by MoEF to 300 MW Alkananda project in Uttarakhand, which has been rejected twice by FAC and given a negative recommendation by WII.

Parineeta Dandekar

Himanshu Thakkar

Posted on 26 Feb, 2012 01:31 PM

Guest Post : Parineeta Dandekar and Himanshu Thakkar

Inducing vulnerabilities in a fragile landscape: The implications of hydropower development in a seismically active zone - An article in EPW

After the earthquake that shook Sikkim in November 2011, the safety of the dams being constructed on the Teesta is being questioned by the communities that live along it

Kanchi Kohli

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 08:25 PM

Close to 30 hydroelectric projects are being planned on the Teesta and its tributaries. Not only is this river an essential part of Lepcha identity and life, but it also flows through a fragile zone. In this article first published in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW), Kanchi Kohli examines the ramifications of this policy.

Diverting rivers for linking, a catastrophic idea: Questioning the state impetus to river inter-linking despite uncertain economic, social and ecological benefits

The economic feasibility of river interlinking is still debatable, while studies show that it will cause social and ecological harm. Despite this, states are still taking this program forward. Gopal Krishna examines this phenomenon.

Gopal Krishna

ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 12:12 PM

Author: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)

Small hydro: Too small for a national mission - The need for an assimilated national mission for renewable energy in India

India has set high targets for solar energy through its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. However, this may take focus away from other renewable energy sources, especially small hydro which is a high density resource. This brief by the Observer Research Foundation examines whether small hydro qualifies for a national mission.

Sonali Mittra

Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 10:58 AM

Photo of a small hydropower plant

Small hydropower plant (Source: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy)

Challenges for achieving conservation and development - A presentation by Elinor Ostrom at the Khoshoo memorial lecture, ATREE

The 2012 Khoshoo Memorial Lecture was delivered by 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Dr Elinor Ostrom. In this presentation, she explains the need for a framework to assess complex socio-ecological systems.

Elinor Ostrom

Posted on 22 Feb, 2012 06:52 PM

Portrait of Dr.Ostrom

Rural water access: Governance and contestation in a semi-arid watershed in Udaipur, Rajasthan: A paper in EPW

Recent policy has encouraged a shift towards community management of water infrastructure through the creation of decentralised institutions.This also implies a shift from large to small structures and institutions. This however presumes the existence of a homogeneous 'community', and does not necessarily acknowledge the effect of various separate groups within such a community on these institutions. This paper published in Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) examines the impacts of this shift towards decentralised irrigation management on different groups residing in six villages in Rajasthan.

Lalitha Kamath

NC Narayanan

Posted on 21 Feb, 2012 05:19 PM

Study area

This study is carried out in micro-watershed No.19, which comprises six villages in Jhadol tehsil of Udaipur district in Rajasthan. A minor irrigation project completed in 1980 serves these six villages

Rainfall, storage levels in reservoir and groundwater use

Towards greener development: EIA sector specific manuals brought out by the Ministry of Environment and Forests

This article collates and presents 26 of the 37 environment impact assessment (EIA) manuals brought out by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)

IL&FS Ecosmart Limited

Posted on 19 Feb, 2012 07:20 PM

These manuals are aimed at expert appraisal committees, and hope to improve the quality of appraisal of projects. These will also provide a template for use by organisations and consultants developing the EIA reports. cover page of the EIA guidance manual-ship breaking yards

Climate change risk - An adaptation and mitigation agenda for Indian cities - A paper published in the journal Environment and Urbanisation

This paper outlines the much needed adaptation and mitigation agenda for cities in India where the urban population is likely to grow by around 500 million over the next 50 years.

Aromar Revi

Posted on 18 Feb, 2012 01:33 PM

The paper dwells on the likely changes that climate change is expected to bring in temperature, precipitation and extreme rainfall, drought, river and inland flooding, storms/storm surges/coastal flooding, sea-level rise and environmental health risks, and who within urban populations will be at risk.

The status of glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region - A report by the ICIMOD

This study by ICIMOD provides a comprehensive account of the number and status of glaciers across the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.

Basanta Shrestha

Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya

Posted on 17 Feb, 2012 03:00 PM

The HKH region is one of the most dynamic, fragile, and complex mountain systems in the world as a result of tectonic activity and the rich diversity of climates, hydrology, and ecology. The high Himalayan region is the freshwater tower of South Asia and has the highest concentration of snow and glaciers outside the polar regions giving it the name Third Pole.

Balati glacier at sunset

Balati glacier, Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand (Source: Uttarakhand and I)

Subscribe to Biodiversity

All Articles

September 22, 2024

प्रवाल भित्ति का अर्थ, परिभाषा और महत्व

प्रवाल भित्तियों का अनोखा संसार (साभार - विकिपीडिया)

September 21, 2024

टिकाऊ खेती एवं बेहतर मृदा स्वास्थ्य हेतु जैविक उर्वरक (भाग 2)

"टिकाऊ खेती" का अंग्रेजी में अर्थ "Sustainable Agriculture" होता है. यह एक ऐसी कृषि प्रणाली है जो पर्यावरणीय सिद्धांतों को ध्यान में रखते हुए पौधों और जानवरों के उत्पादन को समन्वित करती है। भाग 2 में जानिए कैसे करें इस्तेमाल जैविक उर्वरकों का

September 21, 2024

टिकाऊ खेती एवं बेहतर मृदा स्वास्थ्य हेतु जैविक उर्वरक (भाग 1)

टिकाऊ खेती और मृदा स्वास्थ्य के लिए जैविक उर्वरकों का इस्तेमाल हमेशा बेहतर परिणाम देता है। जैविक उर्वरकों यानी जैविक खादों के इस्तेमाल से खेत को कई तरह के फ़ायदे होते हैं। जानिए विस्तार से

September 21, 2024

हरित छत से पर्यावरण संरक्षण

हरित छतें (ग्रीन रूफ्स) पर्यावरण संरक्षण में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा रही हैं। इस मुद्दे पर डॉ. दीपक कोहली का एक विस्तृत आलेख।

हरित छतों वाली बिल्डिंग (courtesy - needpix.com)