Ranjan Panda

Author Directory | Ranjan Panda

Ranjan Panda of Water Initiative Odisha, is a researcher, environmentalist and activist. He describes the threats to rivers and water bodies of Odisha

India Irrigation Aid Agencies Governance Water Rehabilitation Orissa (Odisha) Health Effects Dams Drinking Water

Water

Is new-age environmentalism narrowing down to planting saplings?

Planting saplings is undoubtedly a good idea, but considering it as the panacea to all our environmental woes is dangerous

Water

Old ‘Temples of Modern India’: Can India decommission ageing dams it has been warned about?

Dams have affected new ways of land use and life so much that many societies cannot think of a life beyond them anymore

Water

World Rivers Day: Does a river exist for us only when it floods?

It’s important to spread river education in its totality, before dams and canals take over ‘rivers’ in the perception battle

Natural Disasters

Going under: Coastal Odisha under existential threat

In a warming world, governments are far from prepared to resettle people evicted by sea-level rise

Water

Every drop to drink: 24x7 potable tap water in Puri has environmental, social benefits

The project will reduce use of plastic bottles by 30 million units and overall plastic waste plastic waste by 400 tonnes per year

Governance

Invest in the most vulnerable to tide over COVID-19 crisis

India needs to be a country that achieves progress that’s equitable in the true spirit of its Constitution

Environment

Bristol airport vote: A small win in our battle against climate change

In this last decade of serious climate action, nature should be prioritised over economic growth if we want to survive

Forests

How forests can help in doubling farmers’ income

Forest rights, support for ecosystem services could be part of strategy to help farmers living in forests

Water

A troll’s choice: wifi or water?

A recent episode on social media exposed me to some of the perceptions that trolls have regarding the right to water

Forests

Water in forests: Finding the blue in the greens

It is time we rediscover forests as a ‘water commons’ to aid India’s fight against climate change

Climate Change

Lack of water intensifies distress in the Mahanadi basin

Climate change at the global and local levels is reducing water flow in the Mahanadi river, severely impacting agriculture. Tackling that …

Water

More dams will not solve Mahanadi water conflict

Stakeholders in Odisha suggest building more dams on Mahanadi to resolve a water-sharing conflict, but that will make matters worse

Mining

मौत की मांग

मुआवजे के लिए 35 साल से संघर्ष कर रहा है एक गांव। ग्रामीणो�…

Natural Disasters

Blame it on Hirakud?

The CAG has rapped the Odisha government for not keeping the dam's water level in check and failing to prevent flooding in downstream areas

Coconut cracker

The eriophyid mite has a field day, while officials sleep tight. The pest attack was first reported in 2000, when a farmer from the Puri …

Impending displacement for Orissa villagers

The Orissa government has finally begun disbursing compensation to likely oustees in the lower Suktel dam project. Nineteen families of Magurbeda …

'Kernel the culprit'

Human rights panel report confirms that food poisoning, not starvation, caused deaths in Orissa's Kashipur district

Adrift and Isolated

A proposed blanket ban on scientific prawn culture in Chilika lake is a total let-down for the fiskerfolk

Misdirected move

The Orissa government's decision to increase water cess for irrigation may spell doom for the state's farmers

Soft target

The Orissa government makes a move to wrest control of some 2,000-odd non-governmental organisations operating in the state

Science & Technology

Internet, the new water. Let’s not convert it into opium

Internet shutdowns can take unimaginable tolls

Water

Fight against COVID-19 is a fight for water, against inequality

Let us end our water divides. It is already late

Sendai framework on disaster risk reduction disappoints

Goals are without specific time plan and targets

Public good, private concerns

Odisha is becoming a testing ground for ADB’s aggressive water sector reforms

Bureaucracy on the beach

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