Biodiversity

Featured Articles
December 4, 2022
Small scale inland open water fisheries of India
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
Floods in Assam - a boon or a bane for fish diversity?
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
Poisoned wetlands, toxic fish
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
Damned by pollution, doomed by beautification
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
Conserving India’s freshwater ecosystems: A shared vision
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
India’s fantastic freshwater fauna and where to find them
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)
A critical assessment of climate change impacts, vulnerability and policy in India - Paper published in Present Environment and Sustainable Development
This paper published in the Present Environment and Sustainable Development critically analyses the impacts and vulnerability of Indian economy to climate change and analyses India’s efforts in addressing and reducing the vulnerability of its natural and socioeconomic systems to climate change and enhancing the adaptive capacity of the same under uncertainty.
Vijaya Gupta
Posted on 09 Mar, 2012 05:40 PM

There is considerable disagreement on the extent of the changes in the variables of climate.
India's ecological past: Review of a two volume book on environmental history in EPW
India's environmental history (Volume 1: From ancient times to the colonial period and Volume 2: Colonialism, modernity and the nation) edited by Mahesh Rangarajan and K Sivaramakrishnan discuss the various facets of India's engagement with its environment over the years. 'India's ecological past' by Meena Bhargava reviews the book and was first published in Environment and Political Weekly.
Meena Bhargava
Posted on 02 Mar, 2012 02:18 PM


Cover page of 'India's environmental history'

Utilisation of human urine as a source of nutrients for banana and maize cultivation - A compilation of research papers
These papers describe the findings of experiments conducted in the fields in Nagasandra village, Doddaballapura Tq, Bangalore district for one year that studied the usefulness and impact of anthropogenic liquid waste (human urine) as a source of plant nutrient for banana and maize cultivation and evaluated the impact of the use of human urine on crop quality and yield.
S Bhaskar
Sridevi G
Srinivasamurthy C A
S Viswanath
Posted on 01 Mar, 2012 02:24 PM

Source separated anthropogenic liquid waste (Human urine) - A potential plant nutrient for banana cultivation
Ignoring precaution, MoEF clears a project which has been categorically rejected by majority Standing Committee of the NBWL
MoEF, which holds the mandate of safeguarding country's environment, has given a completely unjustifiable wildlife clearance to the 1750 MW Demwe Lower Hydroelectric dam on the Lohit river in Arunachal Pradesh (http://www.moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Demwe_Lower_Hydroelectric_project.pdf), in face of severe opposition from civil society, experts across country and all the independent members of National Board for Wildlife. This shocking decision has come at the heels of one more such clearance given by MoEF to 300 MW Alkananda project in Uttarakhand, which has been rejected twice by FAC and given a negative recommendation by WII.
Parineeta Dandekar
Himanshu Thakkar
Posted on 26 Feb, 2012 01:31 PM

Guest Post : Parineeta Dandekar and Himanshu Thakkar
Inducing vulnerabilities in a fragile landscape: The implications of hydropower development in a seismically active zone - An article in EPW
After the earthquake that shook Sikkim in November 2011, the safety of the dams being constructed on the Teesta is being questioned by the communities that live along it
Kanchi Kohli
Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 08:25 PM

Close to 30 hydroelectric projects are being planned on the Teesta and its tributaries. Not only is this river an essential part of Lepcha identity and life, but it also flows through a fragile zone. In this article first published in the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW), Kanchi Kohli examines the ramifications of this policy.
Diverting rivers for linking, a catastrophic idea: Questioning the state impetus to river inter-linking despite uncertain economic, social and ecological benefits
The economic feasibility of river interlinking is still debatable, while studies show that it will cause social and ecological harm. Despite this, states are still taking this program forward. Gopal Krishna examines this phenomenon.
Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 12:12 PM

Author: Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
Small hydro: Too small for a national mission - The need for an assimilated national mission for renewable energy in India
India has set high targets for solar energy through its Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. However, this may take focus away from other renewable energy sources, especially small hydro which is a high density resource. This brief by the Observer Research Foundation examines whether small hydro qualifies for a national mission.
Sonali Mittra
Posted on 24 Feb, 2012 10:58 AM


Photo of a small hydropower plant

 Small hydropower plant  (Source: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy)

Challenges for achieving conservation and development - A presentation by Elinor Ostrom at the Khoshoo memorial lecture, ATREE
The 2012 Khoshoo Memorial Lecture was delivered by 2009 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Dr Elinor Ostrom. In this presentation, she explains the need for a framework to assess complex socio-ecological systems.
Elinor Ostrom
Posted on 22 Feb, 2012 06:52 PM

Portrait of Dr.Ostrom

Rural water access: Governance and contestation in a semi-arid watershed in Udaipur, Rajasthan: A paper in EPW
Recent policy has encouraged a shift towards community management of water infrastructure through the creation of decentralised institutions.This also implies a shift from large to small structures and institutions. This however presumes the existence of a homogeneous 'community', and does not necessarily acknowledge the effect of various separate groups within such a community on these institutions. This paper published in Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) examines the impacts of this shift towards decentralised irrigation management on different groups residing in six villages in Rajasthan.
Lalitha Kamath
NC Narayanan
Posted on 21 Feb, 2012 05:19 PM

Study area

This study is carried out in micro-watershed No.19, which comprises six villages in Jhadol tehsil of Udaipur district in Rajasthan. A minor irrigation project completed in 1980 serves these six villages

Rainfall, storage levels in reservoir and groundwater use
Towards greener development: EIA sector specific manuals brought out by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
This article collates and presents 26 of the 37 environment impact assessment (EIA) manuals brought out by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI)
IL&FS Ecosmart Limited
Posted on 19 Feb, 2012 07:20 PM

These manuals are aimed at expert appraisal committees, and hope to improve the quality of appraisal of projects. These will also provide a template for use by organisations and consultants developing the EIA reports.cover page of the EIA guidance manual-ship breaking yards

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