Why Mumbai Needs to Worry About Water?
Sachin Tiwale Loksatta | August 16, 2024 Long before the good news that the dams supplying water to Mumbai are more than 98 per cent full, while these dams are emptying like Salabad, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has decided to speed up the construction of two projects, the much awaited Gargai Dam and Sea Water […]
Howling for change: How the plight of Indian grey wolves challenges conservation norms
Iravatee Majgaonkar, Abi Tamim Vanak Frontline | August 13, 2024 Urban Indians are mostly unaware that India has a population of gray wolves, a threatened species in threatened ecosystems. Some 10 per cent of India’s landmass is covered by ecosystems known as Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs), habitats to species such as wolves, with a dry […]
14 Years After the Dilution of the Gadgil Report, Devastation Continues in the Western Ghats
Siddhartha Krishnan Scroll | August 9, 2024 The world is facing a climate emergency, and on July 31, the people of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve woke up to the stark reality that they may be inhabiting a dangerously vulnerable landscape. Maladaptation – development that is blind to climate change – is converging with heavy monsoonal […]
Learning to ‘see’: Lessons from scholar James C Scott (1936-2024)
Siddhartha Krishnan Scroll | July 31, 2024 Political science iconoclast James C Scott, who died on June 19 at 87, helped us understand subaltern silence or the ostensible passivity of the powerless. Peasant rebellions are evidence of class conflict. But Scott emphasised that the absence of protest does not mean the acceptance of oppression. There […]
Snake Day: Are Rajanagams Dangerous… What Should You Do if You See This?
Mathivanan M Vikatan | July 18, 2024 All the snakes such as the curled viper found on the ground, the earth snake, the water snake found in the water, the silver stick snake that climbs the walls, the katuvirian that is very common in the rainy season, the green snake found in the trees and […]
The Conundrum of Water Quality in Urban Water Supply in India
Sachin Tiwale India Waterportal | July 16, 2024 The recent Pey Jal Survekshan reveals that only 10 percent of cities provide safe drinking water to their citizens. Against this background, this article explains the challenges of providing safe drinking water through a centralised piped water supply model. It suggests the need to explore the alternative […]
Commons’ Sense: How Bengaluru and Other Indian Cities Should Approach Pollution, Traffic Problems
Vinay Sankar, Namratha Murali Scroll | July 15, 2024 The idea of common goods requires reconsidering free and open access in favour of an approach where resources are shared equitably among users. Creating equitable and sustainable cities must address the challenges of congestion, pollution and inequitable access to infrastructure. It is crucial to remember that […]
Dharavi is a Test Case for an Urbanising India
Siddhartha Krishnan Deccan Herald | July 12, 2024 Working classes who laboured to make a marshland inhabitable and economically valuable are now vulnerable to gentrification and relocation. The poor make a place, but the rich replace and displace them. Dharavi is a test case in sustainable development for an urbanising India. Its redevelopment must be […]
World Sea Turtle Day: the Miraculous Man Who Kept Millions of Turtles Alive for 40 Years.
Mathivanan M Vikatan | June 19, 2024 Mr. Natesan is 67 years old, always wears a green shirt, and I’ve never seen him wear footwear. For nearly 40 years, he has been diligently collecting and properly incubating sea turtle eggs and safely releasing the hatchlings into the sea. He sets out as early as 3 […]
The village will become a haven for Chevri storks!
Mathivanan M Vikatan | June 10, 2024 During peak summer in Tirunelveli, a village known for its rich history and biodiversity, Thidiyur, was discovered to be a haven for painted storks. Hundreds of these birds nest in various trees, protected by the villagers who show a strong commitment to their conservation. Despite challenges like power […]
