Forests

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May 11, 2024 Deforestation, expansion of agricultural land, encroachment into forested areas, and unplanned urbanisation alter landscape connectivity, fragment habitats, and increase fire ignition sources.
Uttarakhand's wildfire wake-up call (Image: Pickpic)
May 8, 2024 What is the ecosystem based approach to water management? How can it help in solving the water woes of states in the Deccan Plateau?
An ecosystem based approach to water management (Image Source: India Water Portal)
May 26, 2023 Orans are traditional sacred groves found in Rajasthan. These are community forests, preserved and managed by rural communities through institutions and codes that mark such forests sacred. Orans have significance for both, conservation and livelihood. The author visited two orans in Alwar district in Rajasthan and in this article, she writes about her observation.
Since ancient times, communities in Rajasthan have preserved these orans, and their lives have been inextricably entwined with them. (Image: Ranjita Mohanty)
April 26, 2023 Carbon market can play a role in rewarding environmental stewardship
The motivated young farmer proudly showed his 80 guava trees that he planted for the first time in the village and made a profit of INR 6,000. He is the second generation. His-father made the first attempt at agroforestry in 2010. He is motivated to adopt innovative practices and does not want to migrate to a larger city. (Image: Yasmeen Telwala)
April 4, 2023 Forests greatly help in maintaining the water balance of nature by storing water during monsoons and making this water available during dry seasons. India urgently needs to save its forests to prevent droughts and the adverse effects of climate induced global warming.
Forests and soil moisture can act as buffers to store water during dry spells (Image Source: India Water Portal)
NGT orders 100 percent treatment of sewage entering rivers
Policy matters this week Posted on 11 Dec, 2019 12:05 PM

Ensure 100 percent treatment of sewage entering rivers: NGT to authorities

Polythene bags and solid waste left behind as water recedes in the Ganga river. (Source: India Water Portal on Flickr)
Shoddy impact assessments, mining and ruin in Goa
A study finds that weak environmental assessment reporting on the adverse impacts of mining has spelled doom for Goa’s environment. Posted on 22 Nov, 2019 03:40 PM

Development and its impact on the environment has long been a contentious issue in India, where lack of adequate monitoring and control mechanisms have led to severe degradation of land, water and forest resources. Mining activities in Goa have not only poisoned its land and water, but also affected livelihoods by negatively impacting agriculture, fisheries and forests.

A mining site in India (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
The poisoned landscapes of Punjab
Excessive and unregulated pesticide use has not only poisoned the soil, water and environment in villages in Punjab’s Malwa region – it has also increased health risks for the people. Posted on 21 Nov, 2019 12:18 PM

Punjab, riding high on pesticides

Farmer spraying pesticide (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
300 million people will be vulnerable to annual coastline flooding by 2050
The number of people vulnerable to floods triggered by climate change by 2050 is triple that of previous estimates, according to a new study. Posted on 06 Nov, 2019 12:28 PM

A new research study by Climate Central, a US-based non-profit research group has projected that 300 million people could face annual coastal flooding triggered by climate change by 2050.

Aerial view of Chennai during floods 2015 (Image: Veethika, Wikimedia Commons, CC-SA 4.0 International)
Mapping Pune’s aquifers
Groundwater use has doubled in Pune. Comprehensive mapping of groundwater resources and better management and governance is the need of the hour. Posted on 25 Oct, 2019 01:13 PM

Pune continues to face a water crisis every summer despite having sufficient water, thanks to its geographical location and plentiful natural water assets. While enough of its water needs are taken care of by water supply from the Khadakwasla dam, the use of groundwater to meet the needs of the population continues to increase.

Groundwater, an exploited resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Drinking water availability should be a top priority, concrete action should be taken against water wastage: NGT
Policy matters this week Posted on 23 Oct, 2019 10:35 AM

Drinking water availability should be a top priority: NGT

Queuing up for water (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Conflicts over land on the rise in India
A forum discusses the need to stop illegal land transfers and land alienation of the poor. Posted on 22 Oct, 2019 11:42 AM

Land-related conflicts in India are on the rise despite some of the most progressive legislations to protect people’s rights over land and forest.

The maldharis from kutch on their own road trip (Image: Malay Maniar, Flickr Commons, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Manipur’s floating lake at risk
A study using remote sensing techniques assesses significant changes in land use in Loktak lake. Posted on 18 Oct, 2019 12:37 PM

Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in North East India is also known as the ‘floating lake’ for the numerous phumdis or masses of vegetation it supports. The phumdis float around on the lake’s surface due to decay from the bottom.

A home on Loktak lake in Moirang, Manipur (Image: Sharada Prasad CS, Wikipedia Commons)
Saving Aarey, the last lungs of Bombay
Mumbai’s citizens came out in droves to save trees from being felled in Aarey to make way for the metro. Collective action is crucial to save the green lungs of India's rapidly urbanising cities. Posted on 11 Oct, 2019 06:30 PM

Last week saw protests of a different kind in Mumbai. Activists and citizens from all walks of life came together to protest the cutting of trees in Aarey Milk Colony, one of the few surviving green lungs of the fast growing and polluted city of Mumbai.

Aarey, the green lungs of Mumbai (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
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