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- Man-made reasons for Uttarakhand disaster 1
- Dhari Devi idol goes missing 2
- Pedestrian questions 14
- Transition failure 1
- Where all did extreme events cause disasters last decade
- Rains over past three days extreme weather event: scientists 1
- Gujarat pollution board gets a makeover in efficiency 33
- Monsoon arrives early; kills over 30 people in Uttarakhand
- Rush of hydropower projects on Ganga, tributaries
- Out of turn
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Migration
Relocating beaches
Issue Date: Nov 30, 1997
researchers say that sand from the beaches of the northeastern us and Canada have been making its way to Bermuda. They believe that this has been due to the curious appetites of migratory birds which carry quartz crystals to the island in their stomachs.
Water wise in Uttarakhand
Issue Date: Apr 15, 1997
the hilly regions of the central Himalaya are facing problems in the storage of sufficient water, especially during summers, for drinking and irrigation purposes. The eight hill districts of Uttar Pradesh (up), spread over 51,000 sq km, have a population of approximately five million, for whom the water resources have not been systematically explored and developed, except partly for the districts of Nainital and Dehra Dun.
Development woes
Issue Date: Mar 15, 1997
large dams have resulted in grave environmental and social repercussions worldwide. Representatives from organisations in 20 countries will meet in Curitiba, Brazil from March 11-14, at the first international conference of people affected by large dams.
They will discuss alternatives to large dams and other destructive river infrastructure projects and evolve adequate compensation regimes for those who have already lost lands, homes and livelihoods as a result of these schemes.
Cupfuls of misery
Issue Date: Feb 28, 1997
in december 1984, the Telugu Desam (a regional party in Andhra Pradesh), came to power and introduced a scheme to provide the poor households of the state rice at a nominal cost of Rs 2 per kg (it has since been revised to Rs 3.50 per kg).
Running away
Issue Date: Dec 31, 1996
The number of people emigrating is rising steadily every year. All these movements derive from the failure of societies to meet the fundamental needs and aspirations of their citizens, for safe places to live, or for jobs. Poverty and environmental degradation create scarcities that push people out of their original habitats.
BRAZIL
Issue Date: Dec 31, 1995
Amapa, one of the
poorest states of Brazil, has
won plaudits for its development model. Spearheading
the change is Joao Alberto
Capiberibe, a former guerrilla who is now governor of
the state. Capiberibe's commitment to sustainable development has been described
by the environmental group,
Friends of the Earth as
"unprecedented and unique." Summing up his philosophy, Capiberibe says: "I
started from a very simple
diagnosis. Our natural resources are disappearing, and
unless we do something
about that, we will be left in a
situation of eternal poverty."
MONTSERRAT
Issue Date: Sep 15, 1995
A sleeping giant is about to come to life at the British colony of Montserrat in Eastern Caribbean. Eruptions and emissions of ash from a volcano dormant for centuries have sent almost 1,000 people scurrying from their homes.
ARGENTINA
Issue Date: Jul 31, 1995
Unsustainable economic conditions and farming practices have reduced 80 per cent of the total surface area of the southern Argentine state of Patagonia -- once prime grazing land for sheep -- to deserts. This has forced thousands of small farmers to migrate to the cities.
Windowdressing forestry
Issue Date: Jun 15, 1995
This forest is schizophrenic...it is a forest with 2 distinct personalities. One part of it is decked up -- like the drawing room of an impoverished lord -- exhibiting all that attracts applause, and funds, from international agencies. The other part is the dark, dingy and miserable home for the majority of tribals who live here.
Dam nation
Issue Date: Jun 15, 1995
As part of the recent orgy of self-recrimination, the World Bank has in a confidential document admitted its goof-ups in Indonesia. A "project completion report" for the Bank-funded Kedung Ombo 61-metre-high dam in central Java, completed in 1989, points to the "highly defective" resettlement plans: 72 per cent of the affected families are now worse off.
