Kerala brick industry taking over rice fields
The fast-expanding brick industry (in Kerala) is causing irreversible damage to paddy-fields in a state that is already beset by an acute rice …
Pesticide politics
As the endosulfan controversy erupts afresh, the Kerala government finds itself in a tight spot
Snooping on the rain
Indian scientists have embarked on the final leg of an ambitious voyage to unravel the mysteries of the monsoon
In Troubled Waters
In coastal Kerala, rice cultivation is alternated with prawn farming. The method requires no fertilisers or pesticides. But many farmers in the …
COVID-19: Kerala grapples with alcoholism amid lockdown
7 deaths related to alcoholism reported as of April 2, 2020, with several in de-addiction centres
Dumpsite fires are turning cities into gas chambers. They have to be prevented, not controlled
Focus on building infrastructure, reducing continuous dumping of fresh waste at landfill sites is critical
10 most popular stories of 2018
As the year nears its end, here is a list of stories covered by Down To Earth that caught the most attention online
Arikkomban should be trained to become a kumki
That is the best option for a rogue elephant in the habit of raiding human habitations, killing people and damaging properties
Antimicrobial resistance: 5 years after AMR national plan came out, only 3 states have one of their own
The state action plans of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi too make only passing remarks about inter-sectoral cooperation, with measurable …
Cultivated idea: Urban farming in India requires holistic policy support; here is why
In India, urban farming has seen some traction across states; but rapid development and the need to make urban agriculture viable mean the …
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (September 1, 2022)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Monsoon 2022: The North East may be deluged, but the west coast is dry; here is why
A combination of different climatic factors is bringing more moisture to the northeastern region, while taking moisture away from the western …
Scientists discover new eel species from Kerala, Bengal
Most eel groups possess less economic value and sampling of these groups has been rare in Indian waters, the scientists say
Why the deportation of an English anthropologist has south Kerala’s fishing communities worried
Filippo Osella was about to launch a precise early weather-warning system the fish workers badly need
The Zika virus is here to stay in India, Kanpur just latest victim
The presence of the vector and the virus together makes India extremely vulnerable to Zika
Unfounded fears of contagion threaten bat population in Kerala
Destruction of bat habitats and culling is rampant in Kerala despite no evidence linking the animals with disease outbreaks in the state
Should we celebrate the spread of peafowl in India
Their population dispersion in Kerala, a wet state, points to climate change and the drying up of formerly wet areas like the southern Western Ghats
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (June 4, 2020)
Kattas and Madakas: Decline of traditional water conservation methods
Advent of modern water conservation systems and unequal distribution of labour work in Karnataka, Kerala districts have pushed them into decline &…
Northeast Monsoon gets good start due to low pressure system in Arabian Sea
The system has brought heavy rainfall to Kerala and north Karnataka, with more rain predicted
There’s a cyclone coming to Mumbai, but it may not be bad news
Cyclone Vayu is expected to bring the mercury down in the coastal city with moderate rainfall
Kerala floods: How to hit self goals on disaster preparedness
Performance audits carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India during 2012 and 2017 had raised several red alerts regarding floods.…
Heavy rains are not unusual in Kerala, yet...
The heavy spell cannot be seen in isolation from the seasonal distribution, rainfall abnormalities over the rest of the country or abnormal …
Kerala received 316% more rainfall than normal on August 8: IMD
Since the beginning of the monsoon season, 14 districts in the state have been affected by floods comprising over 2,000 villages, says the …
What is in a name? Plenty if you are this fish
The hump-backed mahseer, native to South India, has been given a scientific name in a race to save it from extinction