Biodiversity

Featured Articles
December 4, 2022 What is the status of inland fisheries in India? Read these situational analysis reports to know about inland fisheries, the life of the fisherfolk, governance and tenure in inland fisheries and threats to the sustainability of inland fisheries.
Fishing in an irrigation canal in Kerala (Image Source: Martin Pilkinton via Wikimedia Commons)
August 2, 2022 The frequency and intensity of floods is on the rise in Assam spelling doom for fish biodiversity.
Life during floods in Assam (Image Source: Kausika Bordoloi via Wikimedia Commons)
June 27, 2022 Heavy metal pollution is poisoning the East Kolkata wetlands, affecting fish and posing a threat to the health of humans who depend on this fish for their food. Urgent action is needed!
Fishermen use wastewater in Kolkata to rear fish (Image Source: India Water Portal)
June 15, 2022 The River Front Development project planned by the PMC is nothing but a cosmetic makeover for the already choked Mula Mutha river in Pune, argues Dr Gurudas Nulkar while speaking to the India Water Portal.
The highly polluted and encroached Mula Mutha river in Pune (Image: Alexey Komarov via Wikimedia Commons)
June 4, 2022 Freshwater ecosystems in India are in peril. We invite comments on this vision document by TNC-India, FES and Ooloi labs that highlights future actions needed to save them.
Freshwater ecosystems, in peril! (Image Source: The Nature Conservancy, India)
May 10, 2022 Freshwater ecosystems are not mere sources of water, they are treasure troves of biodiversity. Know more about the fascinating and diverse animal species that inhabit freshwater habitats in India.
Freshwater ecosystems, treasure troves of biodiversity (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Report on Indian Mountain Initiative Sustainable Mountain Development Summit 2 held at Gangtok, Sikkim between May 25-26, 2012
The second Sustainable Mountain Development Summit of the Indian Mountain Initiative (IMI) was held on May 25 at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok Posted on 09 Sep, 2012 03:57 PM

Around 250 delegates from eleven hill states of India along with representatives from Darjeeling hills participated in the two days summit. It was organized by Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) jointly with Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA).

Conservation at crossroads – Science, society and the future of India’s wildlife – A talk by Ghazala Shahabuddin
This article by Amita Bhaduri describes Ghazala Shahabuddin’s recent talk on the malaise underlying India’s dominant conservation paradigm Posted on 05 Sep, 2012 03:48 PM

Ghazala Shahabuddin’s recent talk on 30th August, 2012 at IIC, New Delhi focused on the malaise underlying India’s dominant conservation paradigm, which is for the most part one of top-down control and exclusion.

Listening to farmers qualitative impact assessments in unfavorable rice environments - A report
This report compares the experiences of farmers trying out new rice-growing technologies in five places where rice has not historically thrived Posted on 01 Sep, 2012 10:21 AM

 

Ozone - The protector of life on earth
This article provides references to the preservation of the environment in the Rigveda Posted on 31 Aug, 2012 07:57 PM

आधुनिक विज्ञा के अनुसार सृष्टि के आरम्भ ,में पृथ्वी पर ओज़ोन आवरण नही था. धीरे धीरे जबय्ह आवरण बना तब इस के पश्चात हीपृथ्वी पर जीवन सम्भव हो सका. इस आवरण कोबनाए रखने के लिए वन सम्पदा पेड़ों इत्यादि का सब से महत्व पूर्ण दायित्व है. आश्चर्य होगा कि इस बात को ऋग्वेद में राजा के प्रजा के कर्तव्यों में प्राथमिकता दे कर कैसे बताया है. कृपया स्वयं देखिये.(यह लेख मैंने अंग्रेज़ी मे लिखा था)

INSOFAR's Newsletter 2: Innovative organic farming in India,presented by researcher Arun K Sharma at Jodhpur
Arun K Sharma describes the challenges in organic agricultural research. The study can contribute extensively to issues like declining soil quality and biodiversity. Posted on 24 Aug, 2012 07:16 PM

It is a pleasure to present an update on organic research in India, written by senior researcher Arun K. Sharma at the Central Arid Zone Research Centre in Jodhpur.

Sediment contamination due to toxic heavy metals in Mithi river of Mumbai - Paper published in the journal Advances in Analytical Chemistry
This paper discusses the findings of a study that looked at accumulated toxic heavy metals in the sediments of Mithi river of Mumbai and their implications for health and environment Posted on 23 Aug, 2012 10:57 AM

This paper published in the journal Advances in Analytical Chemistry discusses the findings of a study that aimed at quantification of accumulated toxic heavy metals in the sediments of Mithi river of Mumbai.The study was conducted at three different sampling loca

Beating a rope thinking that it is a snake, is futile - Why evict people from their habitat, their own ecosystems
This documentary and article highlights the issue of displacement among the tribal communities in Maharashtra and questions the rationale for eviction of forest dwellers from their own ecosystems Posted on 17 Aug, 2012 04:39 PM

This article questions the rationale for eviction of forest dwellers from National Parks. This is against the Law. The Wild Life Act was passed when there was no problem regarding poaching. At that time the objective was to create inviolate wilderness areas, a concept that is typically American.

You can be saviour of many varieties of different plant, animal and bird species
Farmers over the years have made consistent efforts to domesticate different plant, animal and bird species and conserved thousands of varieties Posted on 16 Aug, 2012 10:29 AM

Farmers all over the world have taken thousands of years to domesticate different plant, animal and bird species; developed and conserved thousands of varieties in spite of wars, epidemics, floods, droughts or famines - all kind of disasters. But with due (dis)respect to our ancestors, thousands of species were abandoned/ killed/destroyed (mostly during the last half a century).

Living rivers, dying rivers: River Godavari
The tenth lecture in the series titled 'Living rivers, dying rivers' was on the rivers of Andhra Pradesh, by R Uma Maheshwari, a historian and freelance journalist. Posted on 04 Aug, 2012 08:52 AM

The lecture dealt with 'Perceptions of a river, life and the idea of floods in politics and commerce', with the metaphor of control over rivers dating back to the times of Sir Arthur Cotton, who built the Dowlaiswaram anicut on the Godavari in 1863.

Godavari river (Source: Wikepedia)
Role of thermal power plants and coal mining in local area development and addressing regional imbalance - Note by Prayas to Government of Maharashtra
This report highlights the large number of clearances accorded to thermal power plants in the country and their implications for the environment Posted on 02 Aug, 2012 05:18 PM

The Prayas Energy Group, Pune had in August 2011, released a report titled “Thermal power plants on the anvil: Implications and need for rationalisation” on the large number of thermal power plants (TPPs) being pro

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