India

Sand mining in coastal areas: Legal procedures to follow
Understanding the legal status of sand mining is important before pursuing any remedy or seeking a regulatory response from concerned authorities. Here’s how it can be done. Posted on 30 Nov, 2017 02:29 PM

The river beds, banks, fish and all the other organisms living in and around the river are a major source of livelihood for the traditional communities who live there. The river beds have sand, which is extracted for both domestic and commercial use.

There are various laws in the country to regulate illegal sand mining. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Climate changes Himachal farmers’ game
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh start growing pomegranate and cabbage, as apple lines recede due to climate change. Posted on 30 Nov, 2017 05:48 AM

With apple production greatly affected due to changing climate in Himachal Pradesh, apple farmers are taking to cultivation of vegetables and ‘low chill’ fruits like pomegranate and kiwi.

An apple orchard in Himachal Pradesh. (IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation only)
Palk Bay: Trawled and damaged
In the last of a two-part series on the importance of conserving the Palk Bay, a video shows how trawling is spelling doom to the ecology of the bay. Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 04:05 PM

The Palk Bay is an ecological paradise located between the island nation of Sri Lanka and the South East Peninsula India. The region separates the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu from the northern parts of Sri Lanka.

The Palk Bay (Source: GIZ)
Conserving Palk Bay
In the first of a two-part series on the ecological degradation of the Palk Bay, a video explains the importance of conserving this biodiversity hotspot. Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 04:04 PM

The Palk Bay is a 15,000 sq km biodiversity conglomeration nestled between the island nation of Sri Lanka and South East Peninsula India with a coastal length of 250 km on the Indian side. 

The Palk Bay (Source: GIZ)
CRZ clears inland waterway terminal at Haldia
Policy matters this week Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 01:55 PM

Green nod to Inland waterway terminal at Haldia

Haldia port in West Bengal (Source: Wikimedia commons)
Study claims railways biodigesters ineffective
News this week Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 01:50 PM

Railways biodigesters are not better than septic tanks: IIT study

A rail coach fitted with bio toilet. (Source: India Railway Info)
Exhibition on India's urban rivers at India River Day 2017
As part of the IRD 2017 celebrations, an exhibition based on the event theme has been set up, which displays photos related to various issues related to urban rivers.
Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 10:42 AM

The theme for India Rivers Day 2017 (IRD 2017), held on 25th November, 2017 at the INTACH Delhi premises, was ‘Rivers in the Urban Context’. Various formats of engagement were deployed for discussion among the participants from across India present for the event.

Large earthquakes imminent in the Himalayas
A new study confirms the possibility of large earthquakes in the Himalayas and also finds out new angular velocity for the Indian plate. Posted on 28 Nov, 2017 06:28 AM

A new study has reconfirmed the possibility that large earthquakes could be imminent in the Himalayas. While high levels of strain are getting constantly accumulated along the Main Himalayan Thrust region, only a fraction of it is getting released through small earthquakes of magnitudes less than five on the Richter scale.

A view of the Himalayas. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation only)
Decoding Indian monsoon
Indian researchers provide new insights into forces governing Indian monsoons by recreating its history over 8000 years. Posted on 21 Nov, 2017 12:03 PM

Changes in weather are best reflected in the annual season of monsoons. Now a team of Indian researchers has recreated a continuous history of the Indian monsoon, providing new insights into forces governing it.

New findings on Indian monsoon.
Practice briefs from TNUSSP to showcase learnings
TNUSSP’s practice briefs give a lowdown on the learning from their research findings on sanitation in urban areas of Tamil Nadu. Posted on 21 Nov, 2017 10:56 AM

The Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP) has published three practice briefs that present the research findings as well as learning from the various components of TNUSSP. These briefs are targeted mainly at FSM practitioners, researchers and academic institutions.

The practice briefs are:

Several behaviour modifications along with the full cycle of sanitation are important. (Source: IWP Flickr photos - photo used for representation only)
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