Ecology and Environment

Featured Articles
December 16, 2022 Soil research must focus both on technology development and implementation
The ability of soils to support soil functions or services is decreasing (Image: Katrin Park/International Food Policy Research Institute)
November 25, 2022 These maps at the watershed scales have been made to not only ensure inclusion of different freshwater ecosystems, their connectivity and hydrological processes, but can also provide a spatial context for conservation decisions.
A stream at Anini, Arunachal Pradesh (Image Source: Roshni Arora)
November 16, 2022 Adoption of hybrid solutions - grey and green structures appropriate for resilience building
Healthy wetland ecosystems help in reducing disaster risks and managing climate risks (Image: Pxhere)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
October 6, 2022 Rapid urbanisation and faulty land use policies are rapidly destroying forests, grasslands and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, India and the ecosystem value services they provide. Can these valuable ecosystems be saved?
Deteriorating ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Image Source: tkohli at Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)
July 14, 2022 The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
Conservation across landscapes: A study of the various mechanisms of biodiversity conservation in India
With the increasing threats to our landscapes, biodiversity management can no longer afford to be part of a polarized 'yes or no' argument. Instead,it is vital to seek out and implement a bouquet of negotiated approaches. The diversity of India's landscapes as well as conservation approaches make it a valuable learning tool. This report presents some of these approaches Posted on 28 Dec, 2012 02:38 PM

Chapter 1: Background

Biodiversity conservation has normally followed one of two approaches-

Land grab is emerging as the country's most pressing development challenge - New research released at a conference organised by SPWD and RRI at New Delhi in December 2012
Control over land and natural resources has recently become a subject of heated debate in India, and is, today, one of the central fault lines of Indian politics. New research released on December 18, 2012 on the eve of an international conference on land and forest rights by the Society for Promotion of Wastelands Development (SPWD), New Delhi and the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), Washington predicts massive resource takeover spurring conflict in 130 districts of India. The research indicates that India is a leader among land-grabbing emerging nations. Not only are rights flouted at home but Indian firms risk some mistakes abroad. Posted on 27 Dec, 2012 02:37 PM

press conference

Exploring linkages between the agricultural sector and the environment - Report on the Kerala Environment Congress organised by the Centre for Environment and Development at Thiruvananthapuram, between 16 -18 August 2012
The focal theme of the 8th Kerala Environment Congress was Agriculture and Environment. The congress aimed at providing a platform for scientists, researchers, students and members of the community to deliberate on the issues pertaining to the agricultural sector and their impacts on the environment. Posted on 24 Dec, 2012 05:27 PM

The Congress was jointly organised by Centre for Environment and Development (CED), Thiruvananthapuram and the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram 

Inauguration of the conference

Around 350 participants including eminent scientists, agricultural experts and students participated in the event. The conference was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Sri. Oommen Chandy. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister, highlighted that development and environment were linked and that the approach to the cause of agriculture and environment needed to be realistic since the state could not neglect both development and environment. He also pointed out that Kerala was one state having a very high reputation in preserving and protecting the forest cover, which was much  higher than the national average in the state. This was possible due to the will and awareness of the people of Kerala. He emphasised the need for a more realistic approach to deal with issues related to the agriculture and environment.

KEC inauguration

Inaugural speech by the Chief Minister of Kerala

The issue of food security in India - Case of sodic land reclamation in Uttar Pradesh to preserve the health and productivity of land resources
This article discusses the introduction of green revolution in India and how this high-yield technology was environmentally harmful and bypassed small and marginal farmers Posted on 22 Dec, 2012 12:14 PM

The issues surrounding the food security bill, which proposes to confer double benefits-procurement at a remunerative price for the public distribution system are dealt with. This is followed by a discussion on the contribution of usar (sodic land) development to food security in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

EIA Resource and Response Centre invites applications from interested individuals to work on Environment Impact Assessment and related issues in Kotagiri and Vishakapatnam
Posted on 21 Dec, 2012 09:55 PM

eRc LogoLocation

1) ERC Western Ghats Field unit at the Keystone Foundation : Kotagiri, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu
2) ERC Eastern Ghats Office at Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

About eRc India

eRc is a Resource and Response Centre that keeps a watch on the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) processes and ensures that the impact of developmental activities on India's Environment and Communities is properly accessed and accounted for. The Environment Impact Assessment Resources & Response Centre was established in the year 2007, in response to the felt need to keep a watch, as well as to challenge, Environment Impact Assessment-EIA reports which are based on inadequate and improper assessment of the impacts of proposed developmental activities on natural India including, wild flora and fauna, rivers, wetlands etc.

Chambal Information Database launched - An open access database to get scientific literature on the region
The Chambal River and the surrounding landscape comprise a unique ecosystem. Although known largely for its notoriety, the region is incredibly rich in biodiversity. The single largest population of the Gharial, a critically endangered crocodile is found here. Sadly, the Chambal ecosystem and its inhabitants face numerous threats. Posted on 21 Dec, 2012 10:53 AM

Conservation and research activities in the Chambal ecosystem are often plagued by lack of access to information, such as research papers and reports. Students, citizens, protected area managers and academicians find it difficult to obtain scientific literature in time.

Seeking Sanctuary: a TEDxASB talk by Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia
Bittu Sahgal, editor of Sanctuary Asia motivates students-the inheritors of this carbon-wounded Earth- at TEDxASB organised at the American School of Bombay in April 2012. His message is simple- conservation is necessary for our survival; the children of today need to remind decision makers that it is tomorrow's planet that they are ruining. Posted on 20 Dec, 2012 09:20 AM

Climate change adaptation in water management for food security - A consultation meeting by India Water Partnership
A consultation meeting was held by the India Water Partnership on “Climate change adaptation in water management for food security: Recent developments in India”. Posted on 19 Dec, 2012 09:20 AM

The meeting held on 22nd November, 2012 at the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi was followed by a discussion which included comments and suggestions of the experts and participants. The meeting was chaired by Prof. S R Hashim, President, India Water Partnership who was accompanied by Dr.

Money as a means to an end: a TEDx Connaught Place talk by Ishita Khanna on Ecosphere's work in Spiti
This TEDx talk speaks about Ecosphere and the work done by them in the Spiti valley in the Himalayas. It describes how the development of sustainable livelihoods can benefit a community. Posted on 16 Dec, 2012 06:42 PM

The talk begins with a description of the valley. This section describes its location, landscape, flora, livelihoods and society.

×