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)
Jaundice grips Raipur
Faulty pipelines and lack of proper sewage treatment plants are some of the causes of increasing jaundice cases in Raipur. Posted on 20 Sep, 2018 04:09 PM

The family of Somesh Manikpuri of Amasivani colony in Raipur is still in shock of his sudden demise from jaundice in May this year. Six similar deaths have been reported from Raipur since April 2018. Memsingh Chandrakar, a resident of Naharpara, another locality in Raipur, was also affected by jaundice in May.

A view of the Shakti Nagar slum area in Raipur. (Source: India Water Portal)
Ganga clean up: It’s all talk and no action
While crores of rupees have been allocated for cleaning up Ganga, the river continues to flow filthy. Posted on 19 Sep, 2018 12:06 PM

As the Ganga emerges from the glaciers and glides along the foothills of the mighty Himalayas through the towns and cities with their sprawling ghats, engineered embankments, hydroelectric dams, and interrupted flows at barrages, the icy chilliness of its waters is lost.

The Ganga at Garhmukteshwar (Image: Chicu Lokgariwar, India Water Portal)
Sacred groves, the water wizards of Uttarakhand
A study from Uttarakhand finds that water from sacred groves conforms to all WHO standards of potability and is of better quality than water from surrounding areas. Posted on 17 Sep, 2018 12:05 PM

Sacred groves are undisturbed or preserved patches of vegetation or forested areas located on the outskirts of villages, towns or plains that are conserved by communities by dedicating them to local folk deities or ancestral spirits.

Auli Bugyal, a meadow in Uttarakhand. Auli Bugyal, a meadow in Uttarakhand. (Photo courtesy: Sandeep Brar Jat via Wikimedia Commons)
Linking weather extremes with climate change
Detection and attribution in case of extreme weather events play an important role in understanding climate change better. Posted on 17 Sep, 2018 10:40 AM

Every time an extreme weather event like the Kerala floods occurs, there is a great demand for information on its causes. The question uppermost in public discourse is if such events can be attributed to climate change and global warming.

Whether an extreme weather event can be attributed to climate change or not is a question that has been on the minds of scientists for long. (Photo: IWP Flickr photos)
NGT asks states to save ecology of Western Ghats
Policy matters this week Posted on 12 Sep, 2018 07:24 AM

No more clearance to activities affecting eco zones in the Western Ghats: NGT

Western Ghats as seen from Wagamon view point. (Source: Anand via Wikipedia Commons)
Dealing with disasters in the Valley
Frequent disasters the Kashmir Valley witnesses are both man-made and natural. What’s the solution? Posted on 10 Sep, 2018 11:57 AM

Witnessing a multitude of disasters from destructive floods to catastrophic earthquakes, the vulnerabilities arising out of natural disasters are ever increasing in Jammu and Kashmir.

Destruction caused by September 2014 floods at a posh locality in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajbagh. Over 300 people lost their lives, thousands were rendered homeless and property worth billions was damaged during the floods. (All photos courtesy: Afsana Rashid)
The art of saving a river
Artist and environmentalist Madhavi Kolte is on a mission to save the dying Mutha in Pune through her drawings and sculptures. Posted on 03 Sep, 2018 03:01 PM

River Mutha, the pride of Pune, lovingly called 'Muthai' or 'mother Mutha', is dying a slow death, thanks to the rapidly urbanising city which is depositing huge amounts of untreated sewage and dirt in its water. The pollution of the river is consistently rising.

The highly polluted Mutha river as it flows through Pune. (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Kerala, TN fight over Mullaperiyar dam water release
Policy matters this week Posted on 29 Aug, 2018 11:45 AM

Kerala blames Tamil Nadu for massive floods in the state

The Mullaperiyar dam (Source: Jayeshj via Wikipedia Commons)
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) - Grasslands
What are grasslands and why are they important? Here is a simple Q&A to understand the grasslands in India better. Posted on 26 Aug, 2018 11:11 AM

This is a simple guide that lists out the most popular questions related to grasslands, to understand what they are and their ecological significance. Please click on a topic for detailed information.

Shola grasslands, Kudremukh National Park, Karnataka (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Kerala battles the worst flood since 1924
As Kerala comes to grips with the worst floods in its recent history, here’s a look at what led to the calamity and what can be done to avoid it in the future. Posted on 25 Aug, 2018 05:34 PM

When the five overflow gates of the Cheruthoni dam, a part of the Idukki reservoir comprising Cheruthoni, Kulamavu and Idukki arch dam were opened one by one on August 9, 2018, a torrent of water and mud gushed out. Heavy, unceasing rains had led to the dam reaching close to its maximum capacity, forcing the dam authorities to open all its gates.

The floods in Kerala have taken nearly 400 lives and have displaced around 1.2 million people. (Image: Ranjith Siji, Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0)
×