Pepsico India withdraws all cases against Gujarat potato farmers

The company had sued nine farmers in Gujarat for alleged intellectual property “rights infringement” on grounds that they “…

First leucistic five-striped palm squirrel found in North India

The individual was found in a human-made forest in eastern Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district by an independent researcher

General Elections 2019: Science in polls, from feel 'good' to feel 'strong'

With the Balakot episode and later the ASAT declaration, the ruling party has brought ‘muscular science’ into the spotlight alongside …

Energy in news on April 16

Here’s a round-up of today’s news reports and developments around energy

IMD predicts 'above normal' summer in 2017

Above normal heat wave conditions are likely over the core heat wave zone including northern plains and central regions, as per India …

IMD predicts above average monsoon

This positive news coming after two successive droughts is sure to revive the economy

Minimise crop risk

As erratic weather compounds agrarian crisis, experts call for adopting scientific ways to estimate crop loss and provide crop insurance to all …

North India can tackle smog using eco-friendly farm practices from the South, say experts

Mulching, nitrogen-fixing have waned in the Indo-Gangetic Plain; but they are still being used in the Cauvery basin, according to scientists  

Water in major reservoirs of 10 states below 2017 levels: CWC

Water levels 22% below the average of last decade

Element of mystery: Lead poisoning is a huge public health concern for India; here’s why

Lack of screening systems; inability to determine source of exposure and lax implementation of safety norms compound the problem

Number of full reservoirs go up from 26 to 35, 10 overflowing

Central Water Commission bulletin also shows reservoirs in at least 7 states at less than normal storage, worst in Bihar 

Monsoon: Steep fall in India’s new average rainfall

India’s new rainfall normal figure of 868.6 mm is less than 880.6 mm, as the southwest monsoon is currently passing through a ‘dry …

COVID-19: What about housing for poor?

Union government’s housing scheme tragets derailed; low-income house buyers face increasingly volatile financial markets 

Flash droughts hit nearly 15% rice, maize areas in 1951-2018 monsoons: Study

At least 39 flash droughts occurred in 1951-2018; 82% occurred during the monsoon season, the study found 

North India Deluge 2023: Yamuna breaches evacuation mark in Delhi; expert calls flood policy ‘absolute failure’

The Yamuna inundates parts of Delhi even with very little rain as it is silted and is not dredged, according to Gourishankar Ghosh

August, September & November warmest on record in India, winter temperatures to remain above normal: IMD

The IMD said below-normal coldwave days are expected over most parts of northwest, central, east, and northeast India this winter

North India Deluge 2023: Development projects compounding destruction in Himachal Pradesh, say experts 

Losses of Rs 4,000 crore in the state after 3 days of torrential rain 

Monsoon 2022: Driest July on record for east and North East India

Both regions will continue to be in deficit for August and September, according to IMD

Bihar's striking contractual teachers left to fend for themselves amid lockdown

More than 400,000 teachers suffer from financial crunch, 60 die so far

Kerala's Rs 20,000 crore package for COVID-19 outbreak: How far will it go?

Kerala had 60 cases of those infected by the novel coronavirus as of March 23, 2020

Cold wave grips north India, to get worse

This severe weather is attributed to the absence of western disturbances in the country

After snowless December and January, March and April to rain fire on north India: Experts  

This may lead to further food insecurity in a region already grappling with depleting Rabi crop production since past few years

AgriStack: Linking land records with database will exclude labourers, farmers, warn experts

Making land records the basis for farmer database would mean excluding tenant farmers, sharecroppers and agricultural labourers from the …

Has the slump in monsoon really ended?

The all India rainfall deficit is down to 25 per cent as of July 23, showing an improvement in the rainfall scenario. But will the 'run rate' of …

North India rains: Crops ruined in Uttar Pradesh; over half a million affected by floods

Rains in India’s largest state have ruined crops such as paddy; sugarcane; mustard; potatoes and other vegetables