'Bt cotton has improved farmers' lives'
At the same time genetically modified cotton has increased fertilizer and water usage, resulting in high input costs, says study funded by farmers'…
COVID-19: How do India’s urban informal settlements fight the pandemic
India’s slum population is ill-prepared to face the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, with livelihoods threatened as a …
COVID-19: Slums in India provide fertile ground for outbreaks
it is near impossible for slum dwellers to practice WHO guidelines of social distancing, frequent hand-washing
Where river runs black
Industries from far and near dump untreated toxic effluents near Ulhasnagar, choking a river and sickening people
Half-way to autonomy
Decisions by Maharashtra’s top forest official can empower gram sabhas prepare plans to revive their forests, but a policy is awaited
Environment ministry, CPCB endorse burning Bhopal's toxic waste at Nagpur
Ignore report that says defence research organisation's facility not suitable for disposing of heavy metals
Dharavi's real estate threat
The Maharashtra government wants to redevelop Dharavi, Mumbai's sprawling slum. But its plan has not taken into account the fact that people not …
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (July 1, 2020)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal
Angry Vidarbha farmers vote for BJP
Congress loses its bastion for failing to implement poverty alleviation schemes and inadequate disaster relief for farmers in distress
Who is monitoring Lavasa?
Lavasa Corporation is rushing to complete its township in Western Ghats. No one knows if the promoter is complying with conditions on which it …
Court Digest: Major environment hearings of the week (August 3-7, 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
Coal quandary
In a sweeping pronouncement, the Supreme Court has termed all the 218 coal blocks allocated since 1993 illegal. This has raised a fundamental …
Court Digest: Major environment hearings of the week (June 29-July 3, 2020)
Human-leopard coexistence narrative not based on evidence
Leopard-human conflicts cannot be effectively reduced without focus on conserving the animal's natural habitat
What is the exact procedure to remove a man eater?
The killing of Avni, the Yavatmal tigress, has raised this question. Here are the answers
3 tiger cubs mowed by train in Vidarbha forest
The bodies were discovered on Thursday morning; the mother is suspected to be in the vicinity
States paid Rs 36.8 cr as interest to panchayats, still don’t transfer funds
Parliamentary standing committee flags off persistent delay in transfer of funds to panchayats but government’s reply have not been convincing
Two leopard cubs harassed by residents in Maharashtra tiger reserve; one dies
One of the cubs, a sub-adult is recuperating. But the other, a 7 month-old, already weakened, could not stand the abuse perpetrated by the locals
Why the lack of industry in West Bengal?
The Left is often blamed for ruining the economic prospects of the state, but the truth is it inherited a weakening industrialisation scenario …
Pune's eco friendly family: Taking care of energy needs in a renewable way
Say hello to the Dighe family. Residents of Karve Nagar in Pune, this family has become a role model for many others who want to change the way …
Here I stand, come hell or high water
Forty-five-year-old Keshubhai of Manibeli has come to symbolise not only all that is wrong with state power, but also the Narmada Bachao Andolan'…
Rain imbalance
An analytical study of 100 years of rainfall data in Maharashtra reveals that rainfall seasonality index has risen alarmingly in all districts in …
Industrial devil-ution
Maharashtra and Gujarat. The brightest jewels in India's industrial crown. But impressive industrial growth figures fail to hide the grim …
Chikungunya spreads its tentacles
Chikungunya, a viral disease borne by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, has assumed epidemic proportions in large swathes of the country, especially …
In deep water
Rivers Krishna and Mahanadi are in crisis. In the race to industrialise, states have drawn plans to exploit their last drop. For four decades, …