A bushful of medicine
Seabuckthorn, a plant with numerous medicinal properties, grows wild in India. Rural communities are the losers
Forest states want money in lieu of felling
On August 1, 2003, Madhya Pradesh made a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a fund-generating mechanism for forest protection. Earlier, in June, …
Colonial straitjacket
Book>> Becoming India Western Himalayas under British Rule by Aniket Alam Foundation Books, Delhi 2008
PM trains guns on ‘environmentalists’ during virtual meet with farmers
Says environmentalists who support farmers now, opposed killing animals raiding farms earlier
Uttarakhand’s tulip garden offers glimpse into state’s largest germplasm collection
The garden is minor part of state’s largest germplasm collection of rare, endemic vegetation, put together by Uttarakhand forest dept in …
Machiavellian moves
Rajasthan's decision to bar illiterate people from contesting elections to panchayats is one more example of a state government dominating …
Border conflict
Clashes between wild animals and farmers are rising along forest fringes. But the government is yet to gauge their intensity, forget developing a …
Zero-emission mass transport in hills: Lessons from Himachal
Hill states need a different demand-aggregation model for procurement of electric buses to meet their unique requirements
The road ahead
The current method of environmental regulation has failed to monitor industrial pollution in India. It is not just ineffective but expensive too. …
Out of control: why monkeys are a menace
Damage by raiding monkeys has become a menace of unprecedented magnitude. Down To Earth travels to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar …
North India Deluge 2023: Rainfall during July 1-10 broke multiple records
Excess to large excess rainfall in almost 40% of country at the end of the period, but over half was still rain deficient
Cold waves in northwest India could still mean a warm winter
Light precipation over Christmas, but dry spell in plains; 2022 expected to end on a dry note
A system in shambles
Weak, corrupt and ineffective implementing institutions make compliance and enforcement of environmental laws abysmally poor in India. Can …
COVID-19: Confusion, chaos plague Himachal over e-pass violation
Several returnees lying to obtain e-pass, violating home quarantine, allege sources
Strangers in their own land
The final notification of the Great Himalayan National Park has jeopardised the livelihood of a tribe of migratory pastoralists. It has also …
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (March 14, 2023)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
The fortnight in brief
Himachal villages are first to claim forests rights, J&K's Russian poplars to be felled, Delhi's increasing appetite for power …
Let there be CFL
See the light CFL is becoming popular in India with a little help from government schemes. But its wide-scale use requires regulation
How Baddi pharma waste can make your medicines ineffective
The waste contains active ingredients used in antibiotics and may be contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. It is time to …
Dangerous deal
To promote development in hilly states, a committee recommends dilution of forest clearance rules, reward for setting up projects
Court Digest: Major environment hearings of the week (July 27-31, 2020)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal through the week
Two incidents that made me ask: Whither forestry extension?
Extension programmes in forest institutions are meant to benefit stakeholders, mainly farmers, villagers and rural communities
Yellow rust strikes wheat in northern India
ICAR, agricultural universities and state agriculture departments issue advisories, alerts
High risk
Problem: Tall buildings risky in high seismic zones; Status: Hill-stations are getting concretised and growing vertically; Challenge: Use local …
What goes down
Problem: Lack of space for garbage disposal; inadequate sewerage; Status: Garbage disposed on hill slopes ends in streams/rivers; Challenge: …