Rivers

June signals the start of the monsoons in many parts of India. Pune and its surrounding areas in Maharashtra have witnessed heavy showers since the first week of June. The rains let up for a weeks time during which I visited a few places on the outskirts of Pune city.

Floods are an annual event in the north-eastern state of Assam. The newspapers expect it at this time of year, every year. For the world, this is routine, something not even worth a front-page story like the Uttarakhand floods maybe because it does not involve pilgrims or religion.

Reams have been written about Sacchidanand Bharti, of Ufrenkhal fame and his work on afforestation and water conservation. However, very rarely does he speak about his own efforts and experiences.

Not very far from Guwahati city but not too close either, perched on the gigantic Brahmaputra river, is the island of Umananda. It is the smallest inhabited river island in the world and is one with unusual stories beginning with even how it got its name. 

We sat in a plush climate-controlled room and deliberated climate change as the outside world collapsed around us..

 Flood fury hits Assam

Karamana, the pride of Thiruvananthapuram and an important source of drinking water for the city, is now dreaded and diseased. Parts of the river have been closed to residents now because they are so polluted. What was once a thriving river is now being used as a garbage dump. I decided to trace the path of the river to see how bad the damage really was. 

Offered by 

Nature Conservation Foundation

About the vacancy

The candidate shall

Appeal by

People's Science Institute

About the appeal

Havoc created by the Uttarakhand deluge is unprecedented. Cloudbursts, heavy rainfall and losses incurred in terms of human life and property have turned an exceptional natural phenomenon into an ongoing grieving tragedy.

Havoc in the hills