News and Articles

Promoting the use of Bheel language in emerging social media spaces
Languages of indigenous people have faced government neglect Posted on 30 Aug, 2022 06:53 PM

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, to “draw global attention to the critical situation of many indigenous languages and t

The studio of 'Bheel Voice' has been built in the traditional architectural style of the Bhil Adivasis (Image: Khedut Mazdoor Chetna Sangath)
Fishing turns fishy as climate change plays truant
Climate change is here to stay. How will it affect freshwater resources and inland fisheries in India? A study explains. Posted on 28 Aug, 2022 11:32 PM

Inland aquatic fisheries form an important source of livelihood for a significant proportion of population in India. Climate change is projected to have a huge impact on inland aquatic ecosystems and the fisheries sector in India. While there are a number of studies on the impacts of climate change on freshwater ecosystems and fish, most of these are from the temperate countries.

Fish in the Tunga river at Sringeri (Image Source: Dineshkannambadi via Wikimedia Commons) Li
Himalayan lakes can potentially become long-term sinks of microplastics
Study looks at microplastic types in lakes of Ladakh Posted on 27 Aug, 2022 03:36 PM

Microplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern. Microplastics are plastic particles with sizes ranging from 1 μm to 5 mm. However, a clear consensus on the definition of microplastics is lacking and even the lower size limit varies among different studies.

(Vinay Goel, Wikimedia Commons)
India creates history, sets up first floating water quality testing lab in the Indian Ocean
News this fortnight Posted on 26 Aug, 2022 09:46 AM

India launches a floating wet lab for water quality tests in the Indian Ocean

View of India Ocean at the southern tip of the country (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
Disabled, elderly, and vulnerable will soon have easy access to piped water
Policy matters this fortnight Posted on 25 Aug, 2022 02:40 PM

Centre releases draft guidelines of piped water supply for disabled, elderly and vulnerable groups

A child having disability. Photo for representation only. (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Heavy metals being discharged into coastal waters
Assessing heavy metals in the coastal environment is a critical challenge Posted on 21 Aug, 2022 11:37 PM

In recent years, the impact of the wastes discharged in the Bay of Bengal has been significant due to high effluent inflow from secured sources. It was observed that the heavy metal concentrations in the Bay coast sediments were considerately high and varied among sampling points.

Heavy metal contamination causes significant harm to marine ecology and aquatic life, including humans (Image: Priyadarshi Chaudhuri)
Floods – a boon than a bane!
Floods are not feared, but rather welcomed by the Mishing communities from Majuli island in Assam as they bring bountiful fish- a rich source of food, nutrition and livelihood for the community. Posted on 21 Aug, 2022 11:15 PM

Floods are often perceived as a destructive force in Assam and other parts of India.

The Majuli island, a haven for fish (Image Source: Usha Dewani, India Water Portal)
Polluted water, hitchhiking microbes and the hidden threat of cholera in India
Better access to clean water coupled with health education to bring about changes in behaviour are critical to prevent exposure to dangerous cholera bacteria that lurk in untreated waters. Posted on 19 Aug, 2022 11:33 PM

Cholera outbreaks are frequent and steadily increasing in India, shows recent surveillance data.

The hidden threat of cholera in India (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Heavy metal contamination in the sediments of the Brahmaputra river
Study indicates an intermediate silicate weathering in the adjoining area Posted on 16 Aug, 2022 10:11 AM

The river Brahmaputra carries around 73 million tons of dissolved material annually, which accounts for approximately 4% of the total dissolved flux into the oceans (Singh et al., 2005). The dissolved chemical load and sediment flux of the Brahmaputra River has significantly higher rates of physical and chemical weathering than other large Himalayan catchments.

(Image: Rita Willaert, Flickr Commons)
Collaborative management for sustainable livelihoods in the Sundarbans
The impacts as perceived by the community Posted on 15 Aug, 2022 07:42 PM

Sundarbans delta is the largest mangrove forest reserve in the world with distinct species of wild flora and fauna. It is a source of livelihood for several communities residing in the vicinity. The indigenous plants, extraction of honey and catching fish from rivers, lakes and rivulets have good economic value in surroundings markets.

Catching fish from rivers, lakes and rivulets have good economic value in surroundings markets (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
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