Political

Antibiotic-resistant genes in Kerala mangroves
Researchers believe there could be serious consequences if antibiotic-resistant genes move from harmless microbes to pathogens. Posted on 06 Aug, 2018 04:11 PM

Antibiotic resistance is increasing in various microbial populations. A new study by Indian researchers has revealed that antibiotic-resistant genes are present in microorganisms of mangrove regions in Kerala also.

Mangrove forest located in the coastal regions of Kerala. (Pic courtesy: India Science Wire)
Trash out: People get together to clean the Himalayas
The Himalayan Cleanup where people collected and sorted trash threw up useful information on the main culprits behind trash piles in the Himalayas. Posted on 06 Aug, 2018 10:50 AM

My first trek in the Himalayas was a transcendental experience. Even a decade after, I remember the intense beauty of every vignette I came across. That’s why I was excited about the Himalayan Cleanup, held on May 26 this year.

Volunteers sort plastic trash during the cleanup. (Pic courtesy: Zero Waste Himalaya)
In the business of transformation
A toilet complex managed by college students sets an example of a sustainable model for accessing sanitation. Posted on 02 Aug, 2018 04:11 PM

Pramod Kumar Singh, the caretaker of a community toilet complex in northwest Delhi’s Sultanpuri area is proud about its upkeep. The complex, built by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and inaugurated in 2016, is well maintained with beautiful landscaping, posters and wall art.

Delhi Street Art has painted cartoons and caricatures on the walls to attract people to the community toilet complex at Sultanpuri. (Image: Project Raahat, Enactus)
Groundwater contamination adds to India's water woes
News this week Posted on 31 Jul, 2018 01:29 PM

India's water woes increase due to depleted and contaminated groundwater: Government

A well in Rajasthan. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
NGT anguished over pollution in Ganga, Yamuna rivers
Policy matters this week Posted on 31 Jul, 2018 12:56 PM

NGT slams NMCG and DJB over pollution in Ganga and Yamuna rivers

The Ganga river (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
The mystery of the monsoon
While scientists try to understand this unique phenomenon, the moody and often mysterious monsoon continues to challenge us to explore its different facets. Posted on 30 Jul, 2018 07:38 PM

Monsoon, the season of rains, has a unique place in the heart of the people of India. This passionate burst of showers has been extensively documented, observed and studied by travellers, poets, scientists, farmers and more.

Extremely vital for agriculture and survival in India, the monsoon continues to be a mystery. But why?

Monsoon remains a mystery even now. (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Challenges of being a ‘Prerak’
The job of a Swachh Bharat Mission Prerak is to ensure the mission is completed on time. They have many hurdles to cross before reaching the finishing line. Posted on 27 Jul, 2018 01:35 PM

Most of Etawah, a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in Uttar Pradesh, has plenty of stories to share about their favourite leader Daddaji or Mulayam Singh Yadav, one of the former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh. The area bordering the ravines near Chambal, on the other hand, resounds with tales of dacoits like Phoolan Devi, Seema Parihar and Nirbhay Gujjar.

Divyanshu Seth and Aishwarya Mishra (second and third from left in the first row) during a menstrual hygiene management session. (Pic courtesy: Divyanshu Seth)
How industries ruined Ratlam’s groundwater
Toxic industrial waste has polluted groundwater in Ratlam. Residents wait for action from authorities. Posted on 25 Jul, 2018 04:53 PM

A resident of Bajankheda village in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, Sitabai Tindor shows her pot full of water to us. A strange red, the water looks unusual. “We have been using this red water for domestic use for the last two decades. Industries in Ratlam has spoilt our land and water. The government has not provided us with any alternatives.

Women pump contaminated water from the hand pump at Bajankheda. (Source: India Water Portal)
Not enough rain, Bihar stares at drought
News this week Posted on 24 Jul, 2018 12:45 PM

All districts but three in Bihar experience drought

Parched land during drought in India. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
How sand mining impacts ecosystem
A lucrative business, sand mining from rivers done illegally and unscientifically is found to affect riverine ecology. Posted on 24 Jul, 2018 11:29 AM

Sand is in high demand in the construction sector. By 2020, 1.4 billion tonnes of sand will be required in India. Sand mining is thus a lucrative business and fuels illegal extraction.

River sand is preferred for construction because it requires less processing. (Source: P Jeganathan/Wikimedia Commons)
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