News and Articles

Drilling the hills to devastation
Thirty hydroelectric projects have been planned in Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. There is an immense cost to the environment and to the residents but the government isn't letting up. Posted on 08 Dec, 2013 10:50 PM

Clear blue skies, natural springs and glacial peaks-tranquility. Falling stones, landslides and debris-chaos! Kinnaur, located on  the northeastern side of Himachal Pradesh, lets you experience both. It falls in seismic zones IV and V, which means it runs the the risk of damaging and destructive earthquakes.

100 MW Tidong-I project, Kinnaur HP
Tips for working with spreadsheets
Spreadsheets are ubiquitous and a popular choice for data entry. Here are some tips to use them effectively and to avoid common mistakes. Posted on 08 Dec, 2013 10:14 PM

Working with spreadsheets
Stellar, yet inadequate
Manipal University has a comprehensive environment management programme but its water conservation efforts could be better. Involving students could give it the extra punch it needs. Posted on 08 Dec, 2013 10:11 PM

Manipal University has a well-thought out, multi-pronged approach towards reducing its environmental footprint. This includes a comprehensive waste management policy and a programme to reduce energy consumption.

Manipal University campus, Manipal
Hidden cost to cheaper alternate energy
Shale gas has recently made headlines the world over. How good is it for the environment and what is its water footprint, especially in the Indian context? Posted on 08 Dec, 2013 10:01 PM

Shale gas, like other petroleum products such as oil and coal, is formed from the remains of plants, animals and micro-organisms that lived millions of years ago. However, this natural gas is made up of shale formations, a common name for rock that was once layers of clay or mud. Since these rocks aren't very permeable, gas is trapped in it due to its inability to travel.

Fracking in shale gas production Source: Wikipedia
Digging them into a hole
20 years ago, Amatikra village in Chhattisgarh wasn't full of fluorosis-affected residents. Today, they walk with bent backs and have severe dental issues. What has caused this situation? Posted on 08 Dec, 2013 10:00 PM

45 year old Ved Prasad, a farmer in Amatikra village in Korba district, Chhattisgarh, didn't always have a bent back. 20 years ago, he walked in an upright manner but over the last five years, he's had severe back pain, which has affected his gait. 50 year old Bhola Singh from the same village has an identical story to tell.

Amatikra residents with skeletal fluorosis
Are there greener pastures for pastoralists?
With grazing lands being utilised for development projects, more and more livestock-dependent communities are being impacted and the huge diversity of grazing practices is disappearing. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 08:34 PM

Pastoralist communities are those that depend primarily on livestock (domesticated animals in an agricultural setting) for their living. India has the world’s highest livestock population with 440 million livestock heads distributed over 100 million households (1) but in recent years, pastoralists have been facing threats to their way of life.

Goat rearing in Udaipur
Small MP village inspires neighbours
Once water-deficient, Didakhedi in Madhya Pradesh is now a village with year-round water supply and a sense of community and belonging. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 08:31 PM

The 200 odd residents of Didakhedi, a sleepy village just 13 kms from Sehore town in Madhya Pradesh, never had adequate water. Two decades ago, most of the farming in the village was done during the monsoons. The village had no electricity and a lone diesel pump operated the shallow dug wells to irrigate some lands during the winter.

Development or displacement?
The MP government is proposing a nuclear project in Mandala district. Villagers are wary about promises to rehabilitate since similar promises are yet unfulfilled to the Bargi dam oustees since 1990. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 08:30 PM

Sukal Singh is 50 years old and is the only earning person of his five-member family. Suresh Barman works as a labourer supporting a 13-member family. Bhagirat and Gorelal Bhavedi are rickshaw-pullers supporting a 7-member family each.

Bargi dam affected Patha village, MP
40% of Delhi houses not connected with sewerage network: Census
News this week: 40% people in Delhi live in houses without sewerage, cyclone Leher passes off peacefully and farmers affected by erosion in Tripura sell land. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 08:10 PM

40% people in the National capital live in houses not connected to sewerage network

No sewerage but a dirty river Source: The Hindu
Climate talks end in dispute
Policy matters this week: Climate change talks at Warsaw end up in dispute, a new division for the Himalayas and NHRC issues notice to the government on pollution in the Ganga. Posted on 01 Dec, 2013 03:30 PM

Money deals mar climate talks in Warsaw

Unfriendly climate at Warsaw Source: Wikipedia
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