The ‘qissa’ of Basmati

As the European Union gets set to pronounce whether to give a GI tag to India’s Basmati rice, we explore the history of a grain that …

Why farmers in Punjab and Haryana continue to burn rice stubble?

Every year during October and November, farmers in Punjab and Haryana are blamed for polluting the Delhi air by burning stubble

Why Punjab’s short-duration paddy varieties have not solved stubble burning

Promoted by the government, short-duration varieties now dominate Punjab’s paddy landscape and allow farmers enough time to clear the field …

Farmers in Punjab are burning stubble as an act of rebellion

They are angry that even as they suffer from farm distress and do not get any proper returns on their labour and produce, the onus of stubble …

Punjab sets an example by banning junk food in schools

By not allowing children to bring junk food from home, the state education department's message—that junk food is unhealthy—is made …

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (April 1, 2024)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in Supreme Court, high courts & National Green Tribunal  

Smuggled wood seized

Paper caper

Green panchayats

Drought desperation

In Court

Beefing up food security

New atlas analyses current patterns and serves up lasting solutions

South Asia

Researchers study behavioural aspect of farmer suicides

One of the major causes behind suicidal intent is depression, experts find while studying cases in Punjab, Telangana and Maharashtra

There is a desert in Tamil Nadu and the dunes are red

There are a couple of theories regarding the formation of these dunes, the most plausible being the role of south west monsoonal winds

Use revenue-sharing model for development, land acquisition

Access to village commons improved livelihoods but some recent state policies seek to grab them

Punjab, a cradle of science popularisation in India

Punjab, which is holding the Indian Science Congress, not only produced some of the brightest scientific minds but also a great science communicator

Delhi pollution crisis: The figure of 4-10% for stubble fires is not wrong but irrelevant

There need to be different strategies to address long- and short-term exposure to pollution problems in Delhi. Governments are aware of it, but …

80% groundwater in Punjab's Malwa unfit for drinking

Much of the groundwater in Malwa, Punjab has chemicals exceeding permissible limits, putting children at risk of a blood disorder

Dam travails

A breach in the Bhakra-Nangal dam in Punjab inundates more than 1,215 hectares of agricultural land

J S Banth , proprietor

M/s Banth Kheti Sewa Kender and Fertiliser store Dealers in insecticide, Pesticide sprayers, seeds and fertilisers: village Dher, district Ropar,…

Dip in yield, low protein content: PAU field experiment finds several problems with nano urea

Production can decrease further year on year if nano urea application is continued

A year since Giaspura: Ludhiana’s gas leak remains unsolved; activists say tragedy like this could happen again

No improvements have been made to the sewer system since the incident and the cleaning was last done six months ago, residents told DTE

Punjab’s ‘Donkey Flights’ to the world’s conflict zones

Widespread joblessness explains why Punjab’s migrants resort to desperate means to reach their final destinations  

Punjab procures wheat in the shadow of COVID-19

Here are the problems farmers face despite government efforts