Phase one of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh gets underway. But in Jagapatti village of Mirzapur, the inhabitants say they won’t vote in protest against effluents from the carpet industry in neighbouring Bhadohi district’s seeping into their fertile fields and destroying their crops.
With 41% of under-5 rural kids stunted and 33% underweight, government after government in Uttar Pradesh has made several changes to the anganwadi nutrition programme. Hot meals have been stopped, dry rations are in ‘short supply’ and the state government now plans to merge the anganwadi meals with the mid-day meal scheme. Meanwhile, a large chunk of funds meant to fight malnutrition has remained unutilised between 2017-18 and 2020-21. A ground report as part of ‘The Gaon Postcard’ series.
From Chamoli landslide to Kedarnath floods, Uttarakhand has witnessed umpteen disasters in recent times that have wreaked havoc on its population. Yet none of the major political parties – BJP, Congress and AAP – have raised environment protection as an election issue. Experts warn that climate proofing of infrastructure, investments, and policies in the Himalayan state is crucial.
Clean and available water has never been a dominant election issue for any party in Uttar Pradesh, despite some of the worst indices in the country. A month from the start of a seven-phase election in India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh, Gaon Connection travels to villages to explore the issues that affect the daily lives of the rural citizens.
Poll-bound Uttar Pradesh has a road network of over 300,000 km. But that means nothing to over 40,000 predominantly tribal residents of 13 villages in Matwar gram panchayat of Mirzapur who do not have a motorable road. The lack of roads adversely impacts the villagers as they struggle to access education, health facilities, markets and employment avenues. Now, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming assembly elections unless their gram panchayat gets a tar road.
Stray cattle in the rest of the country have reduced by 3.2% from 2012 to 2019. However, their population has registered a 17.34% increase in Uttar Pradesh. Though the state government has set up cattle shelters, levied additional taxes, and launched cow welfare schemes, farmers continue to suffer crop losses. A ground report as part of Gaon Connection’s ‘The Gaon Postcard’ series.
Between 2017 and 2020, there has been a decreasing trend in conviction rates of human trafficking cases in India. Activists blame fallacies in the investigation behind this, which results in acquittal of the traffickers who roam freely and threaten survivors in their community. Here’s what can be done.
A chance encounter with a professor changed Chandra Prakash Shukla's life. The businessman from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, now manufactures food products made out of amla.
A group of activists have highlighted that only Maharashtra, Odisha, Goa and Mizoram have positive net balances to provide employment to the rural citizens under the funds allocated in the Union Budget for the current fiscal year. The activists also pointed out that lower fund allocation for MGNREGA is leading to an increase in rural distress. More details here.
Persons with disability are provided less than Rs 500 as monthly pension from the government in states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland with lowest at Rs 100 in Mizoram. Maharashtra with highest beneficiaries provides only Rs 300 a month to people with disability. Read on to know more.
Using spare yet elegant text and illustrations in their comic book, Raindrop in the drought: Godavari Dange, Reetika Revathy Subramanian and Maitri Dore recreate an incredible story.
More than 16,000 people ended their lives due to bankruptcy or indebtedness while 9,140 people died by suicide due to unemployment in three years, from 2018 to 2020. Read on to know more.
As the health sector expedites its response to COVID-19 pandemic, tonnes of medical waste including gloves, medical masks, testing kits, syringes pile up the burden on waste management systems. The World Health Organization has recommended measures to tackle the problem.
After a surge in COVID19 cases which was fueled by the Omicron variant in December, India is presently witnessing a drop in the daily cases. With a daily positivity rate at 7.25 per cent, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has announced that all government offices will resume in full attendance. Details here.
A survey has found that four in ten people are hesitant to get inoculated with the precaution dose as COVID19 cases drop. Around 81 per cent respondents demand a door-to-door vaccination campaign for the third dose. Details here.
Accusations of sexual abuse by a 19-year-old former resident of a government-run shelter house for orphased girls in Gaighat area of Bihar have resulted in a controversy with both the Patna High Court and the opposition parties questioning the government over the failure in registering an FIR in the case.
Threats and coercion cannot dwindle vaccine hesitancy. People are getting vaccinated out of “fear” of discontinuation of social security schemes and not out of fear of the virus. It is important to spread awareness around vaccines and to win the trust of the community.
In the current debate on age of marriage, instead of looking at the gaping inequalities across gender, caste, class and religion, which foster underage marriages, the difference of three years between a girl’s and a boy’s minimum age of marriage is being cited as an inequality that needs to be done away with.
Due to an increase in literacy, the Rudaali tradition is slowly fading away in Rajasthan. People now prefer quieter funerals, because of which these professional mourners are losing their importance. These widows find it hard to make both the ends meet and need to be rehabilitated.
By the year 2050, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is projected to account for over ten million deaths every year across the world, of which two million are estimated to happen in India alone. Over 30% of neonatal sepsis deaths in India are attributed to AMR.
Lead has been recognised to have negative effects on children's neurological development. In 2016, the Indian government enacted rules to limit lead content in paints to a maximum of 90 parts per million. However, implementation challenges remain, especially in the small and medium scale enterprises.
India is the world's largest producer of milk and pulses, and it is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, vegetables, fruits and fish. Despite being self-reliant in food production of major crops and running the world’s largest food safety programme, the hunger situation is still serious in India. But there are ways to fight it.
Ten days back, on October 2, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change published a ‘consultation note’ on changes it proposed to make in the Forest Conservation Act of 1980. What are the proposed changes? Should they be a cause for concern?
The One Nation One Ration card scheme was launched in June 2019 to reform the Public Distribution System (PDS). However, close to 100 million people are estimated to be excluded from the PDS. There are several other challenges in the new scheme that need to be addressed.
Nagpur’s iconic red-light area Ganga Jamuna is in the news these days as the law enforcement authorities have decided to pull down the shutters on this 200-year-old red-light district in Maharashtra. While we debate the merits of this decision, it is time we focussed on the plight of sex workers in India and the ‘choices’ they have.
International interest in seabed mining has been stoked partly by new advances in robotics, computer mapping and underwater drilling. Mining companies globally are said to be scouring for fresh reserves, having depleted much of the world's easy-to-access veins. But a section of experts warns that deep-sea mining would have “catastrophic impacts”.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands are global hotspots for biological diversity. The Indian government’s NITI Aayog has prepared a 75,000 crore project for the ‘holistic development’ of the islands which includes a shipment terminal, airport, township and power plant. Environmentalists and biologists are opposing the project. A public hearing on the project is scheduled for January 27.
According to weather scientists, India’s ongoing winter season is set to be significantly affected by climate change. The global warming will enhance the impact caused by a phenomenon called La Niña which is expected to cause a chillier winter this year. Read on to know more.
Indian Army’s assistance has been sought as employees of the Jammu and Kashmir’s Power Development Department have gone on a strike in their protest against the alleged privatisation. The strike has affected multiple districts while a third of the total area in Jammu is under the cloak of darkness. The union territory is facing a power crisis at a time when the cold wave season has just begun. Details here.
For two days, December 16-17, banking operations at public sector banks across the country will be affected as their employees have gone on a strike in protest against the Indian government’s move to privatise these banks. Why are they against privatisation? Read on to know more.
A red alert has been issued across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as heavy rains have caused the deaths of 12 persons so far. A combination of weather conditions have resulted in torrential rains across southern parts of the Indian peninsula. Here’s what they are.
A new study has confirmed there are low chances of contracting COVID19 by touching surfaces contaminated by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Read on to know more.
Many who have been vaccinated against COVID19 have reported a range of symptoms from fever and nausea to weakness and an upset stomach. Is it okay to have such side effects? What precautions must one follow while getting the jab? Read on to know more.
The Delta Plus or the AY.1 variant of the COVID19 virus has been reported from the Indian states of Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The Union government has issued an advisory to these three states to take measures to contain the outbreak. Here’s what we know so far.
The Indian government’s announcement to introduce a Bill to regulate the cryptocurrency market tanked the cryptocurrencies yesterday. What exactly is a cryptocurrency? Why is it trending these days? Details here.
Tomato farmers in Andhra Pradesh, the largest tomato producing state in the country, are switching to polycropping methods by cultivating a variety of vegetables rather than depending only on a single crop of tomato whose prices are always fluctuating. Forty-three-year-old Bharathamma Poreddy, a traditional tomato farmer, is one such farmer who is inspiring others.
Working from within their homes, 20 women of an SHG in a small village of Uttar Pradesh, are making products like straws, baskets and slippers from eco-friendly bamboo and khus, and supplementing their family incomes.
A tribal farmer from Madhya Pradesh has been conserving indigenous seeds for nearly four decades. These seeds require less water, are suitable for local climate and terrain, and are cheaper alternatives to hybrid seeds, she says. The adivasi farmer also plans to use her seed bank as an asset to pay off loans.
As part of a novel initiative, Bharatiya Gramin Vidyalaya, about 40 kilometres from Lucknow, has set up a skill centre that imparts training in latest courses, such as graphic designing, to rural students to prepare them for the future job market. The school has been running virtual classes way before the COVID19 pandemic forced the world to switch to online schooling.
The agricultural scientists at the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi successfully develop the Brimato – a grafted plant that yields both brinjals and tomatoes. Each plant yields up to 2.3 kilograms of tomato and 2.64 kilos of brinjal. Plans afoot for its large scale cultivation.
Kesar, alphonso, langda, dussehri, desi, rajapuri, totapuri… how does an urban family get used to living a charmed life in a village besides a mango orchard in Gujarat?
At 12 he was diagnosed with a type of bone cancer and his family struggled to get him treated. Now, at 27, Sandeep Kumar from Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar runs ‘DigiSwasthya’ telemedicine centre that links up villagers with doctors to provide free medical consultation.
A skill upgradation training programme initiated by the Central government in prime minister Narendra Modi’s constituency at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, is preparing 200 women to enter the business of wooden toy making.
The Grain Bank is an initiative that began in 2016, with the objective of benefitting farmers with small land holdings, but during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, it has turned into a movement to battle starvation and empower women in rural areas Uttar Pradesh.
Five women Indian Forest Service officers share their experience of running a zoo, the bonds they formed with animals and the unique perspectives they brought to the job.
Over 43% of the rural respondents said the coronavirus vaccine should be administered first to the doctors and nurses. Thirty five per cent said frontline workers like ASHAs should be given first priority.
A Gaon Connection Survey of 6,040 rural respondents across the country revealed that more than half of them had consciously changed their eating habits. Seventy per cent had stopped eating out and 30 per cent said they had increased their intake of fruits and vegetables.
The first survey of its kind on ‘COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ by Gaon Connection Insights finds the various perceptions people in rural India have towards the coronavirus disease. Almost 20% call it ‘an act of God’ whereas another one-fifth think coronavirus is no more.
Gaon Connection’s ‘COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ survey across 16 states showed that 76% of rural respondent households in the southern states had a member test positive for COVID. In the north zone, it was 12%.
Two-third of those who are willing to pay for the vaccine want its price not to exceed Rs 500. Another one-fourth would like to pay between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 for two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Whereas, around eight per cent are willing to pay between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 for two doses of the vaccine.
The first survey of its kind on ‘COVID-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ by Gaon Connection Insights surveyed 6,040 rural citizens across 16 states and one union territory. Read the exclusive findings here.
Chywanprash, Giloy, Kaadha, Tulsi, turmeric milk… rural Indians have increased their consumption of immunity boosting items to protect themselves from the coronavirus. Many have stopped eating out whereas several rural households have reduced their non-veg food consumption.
Due to the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdown, millions of rural residents in the northeastern states struggled to keep their families afloat. For 82% rural households in Assam, making ends meet was ‘extremely’ or ‘quite’ difficult.
The COVID19 outbreak has added to the water woes of hundreds of rural women. The government and health agencies recommend frequent handwashing to avoid the spread of coronavirus, but where will this water come from?
After travelling hundreds of kilometres, braving heat and hunger, migrant workers reached their villages, majority were quarantined. Many centres lacked power, toilets, and food facilities.
Unprecedented COVID19-led reverse migration has wreaked havoc in the lives of millions of men and women who now face unemployment and despair back in their villages.
The recent lockdown created unforeseen havoc affecting millions of Indians. Every class of worker was hit hard – farmers, shopkeepers, weavers, cottage industry workers and the salaried class.
In a first of its kind survey, Gaon Connection delves into the depths of the agony suffered by rural India, especially its farmers, during the lockdown.
Gaon Connection’s national rural survey found that nine out of 10 rural citizens faced some sort of financial difficulty during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Pregnant women’s healthcare suffered in the lockdown. In West Bengal, only 29% households with pregnant women confirmed checkups and vaccination; Rajasthan reported the highest at 87%.
Actor Ali Fazal digs into the deepest corners of his heart during The Slow Interview with Neelesh Misra. Meet the artiste behind the art. He speaks about what determines creative choices, the eclectic influences he had, growing up, and the constant urge to understand the world we inhabit.
On Neelesh Misra’s The Slow Cafe, the celebrated stand-up comedian on his early years, how grief led to humour and why he wants to gift laughter.
In The Slow Cafe with Neelesh Misra, the writer-actor-director-producer on her childhood influences, her lived experiences and why it is important to tell a story...
During the course of 40 minutes, the ace actor speaks about his quest to return home, the concept of home, and why the COVID-19 lockdown is a life-defining period.
Neelesh Misra nudges Raina to speak about the little things that got left behind, his inspirations in life, and gets him to sing too, in this two-hour film that comes close to a real-life conversation.
In this 'slow' interview, folk singer Malini Awasthi, a Padma Shri, talks about women, folk music, and the intricacies of marriage, and how her husband motivated her to start singing again
He feels the quality of persistence in him comes from his village upbringing, and many of the characters that he has played are inspired by some of the people he has met in his village
Nawazuddin Siddiqui has been impressing us with his acting abilities, but these days netizens can't stop raving about Ganesh Gaitonde – the character he plays in Netflix series Sacred Games
Son of a farmer, Manoj says buying vegetables helps him connect with the outside world and that keeps him rooted. He is someone who likes to keep it simple and he loves to laugh at himself
There are separate rules for girls set by others. Like, they must wear 'proper' clothes, sit cross-legged and look down while walking, said Taapsee and added she has started questioning these rules
Every day 27 children with thalassemia are born in India. This genetic blood disorder requires regular blood transfusion for lifetime. Since the lockdown, blood banks are facing an acute blood shortage
Over 40 families in Hobjapara village at Kolkata’s outskirts have lost both their homes and livelihoods due to the double whammy of COVID-19 lockdown and Cyclone Amphan.
Many urban poor women are the sole bread winners for their families. Due to the lockdown, they have lost their livelihoods. Now they are under acute mental stress to feed their children
Due to the stigma attached to the disease, life is tough for the leprosy patients. But, those living in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, said they haven’t got adequate medical help ever since the lockdown
The tea industry in Assam, reeling under adverse effects of climate change, suffered more this year due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The small tea growers are the worst affected.
The Supreme Court of India had directed the States and UTs to ensure children get mid-day meals. Despite that, children in Bihar's Gaya were eating only roti-onion, or rice-pickle, or starch rice.
Baaja is the soul of every pahadi wedding. With the COVID-19 lockdown, bajantris have lost their only source of income. Some are looking to work in apple orchards, others as MGNREGA labourers.
Himachal's Rs 4,000-crore apple industry is heavily dependent on the Gurkha labourers from Nepal. But the recent tension between India and Nepal is hampering their availability.
While teachers and students in urban areas have resorted to distance learning, children in rural areas have missed out on education as they don’t have the luxury of attending online classes
After facing crop losses due to locust attack and unseasonal rains, jeera farmers in Rajasthan complain they are unable to transport their harvested produce to Unjha mandi in Gujarat. State officials claim no such restrictions. Come monsoon rains and the cumin seed produce may go waste
Broadly, seven communities in Rajasthan are categorised as traditional folk musicians. Dholi community is associated with nagara, the traditional drums, whereas the Bhand community members sing to entertain. All these musicians have lost their traditional source of income and now looking for other daily wage works.
Three natural calamities -- COVID-19 crisis, Cyclone Amphan and now, the heavy rains, have struck traditional artisans who make idols for Durga Puja. At least 2.5 lakh artisans affected in Kolkata alone. Financial losses run into several lakh rupees.
If people aren’t leaving their houses, a puppeteer wouldn’t have audiences. That’s what happened with Raees Ahmed, a puppeteer who has been telling stories of, and through, Gulabo and Sitabo, his two puppets, when lockdown was imposed in the country.
Four decades ago, Baburhat had over 4,000 handlooms and all villagers were engaged in weaving traditional costumes. Now its last handloom mill is struggling to keep the weavers engaged, as orders are cancelled and there is no sale due to the COVID19 lockdown.
The artistic toys and utensils made from red clay here are famous not only in India, but also among the foreign tourists who come to visit Rajasthan. About 200 families here survive on the pottery trade
Their earnings were never consistent. Once the lockdown ends, they won’t immediately start getting orders as people would prefer to save and not buy expensive Madhubani paintings
For generations, the inhabitants of Raghurajpur village are narrating mythological stories through their world-famous paintings — pattachitra — and palm leaf engravings. Gaon Connection travelled to this heritage village in Puri district of Odisha and caught up with the artisans
A visual treat to anyone who lays his/her eyes on it, Phad is a form of scroll painting which has, over the centuries, narrated stories to people in village gatherings. Now, Kalyan Joshi, a veteran of the Phad art form, is using his scrolls to narrate stories about the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown
Mandana art form, passed on from mothers to daughters unlike other art forms, is now practiced only by a few. If we don’t preserve it, Mandana will vanish, much like the mud houses it once adorned.
An initiative to preserve Gondi, the language a large section of tribal communities in India, by teaching it in primary classes using computers has begun in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker.
Tribal women in a hamlet in Thane are earning a living by selling eggs during COVID-19 crisis. They are also addressing malnutrition among women and children.
In the heart of eastern India, teenagers of the Santhal tribe begin to chronicle stories of their ancient cultural heritage using modern tools – DSLR cameras and the Internet.
Minor forest produce, such as mahua, tendu patta, chironjee, sustains the tribal communities of Chhattisgarh for six months a year. But, this year, due to excess pre-monsoon season rainfall, a large chunk of the forest produce was lost. The lockdown has further aggravated woes of forest-dependent communities
These tribes living in small hamlets not very far from Pune are at the mercy of the housing society nearby for drinking water. They often buy discarded vegetables – their only meal
Laws enacted to protect the rights of tribal and forest dwelling communities have failed to deliver. Poor, marginalised tribal communities residing in resource rich districts face maximum land conflicts
Since time immemorial, tribals have resided in forests, thereby conserving it. But they are the ones who have been subjected to social exclusion and are also called ‘destroyers of the environment’
Bangladesh is a country that's bearing the brunt of climate change. With cyclones and monsoon floods, the coastal villages in the country see many climate refugees.
The Manta community of Bangladesh has been living on boats for over 100 years. They spend all their lives – from birth to death – on boats. These people live the most unusual life.
Delay in warning and lack of communication lead to hundreds of fishers in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to go missing in Ockhi cyclone. Bodies of some dead fishers were found. Many are still 'missing'.
The story of how women are facing the impact of climate change in the Sundarbans. Alone.
People of Uppada, a village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, are facing nature's wrath. The village has had to move multiple times due to coastal erosion
India’s captive-reared vulture release programme, a first-of-its-kind initiative to study the massive decline in vulture population, has been delayed. Again.
In its final order on the multimillion-dollar wedding extravaganza in eco-fragile Auli meadow last June, the high court has termed the state government’s decision to allow the mega event of Gupta brothers a ‘grave error’.
Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the human-elephant conflict killed 2,361 people and 510 pachyderms in India. In the last three months of the lockdown, a series of elephant deaths have rocked the country. But the Union environment ministry is clearing projects in the key elephant habitats
The Bishnois have been around even before the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. For them, the need to save nature arises from an inherent understanding of knowing that we exist because of nature
Plants and trees are the accurate indicators of the presence of pollutants. We should study plants to know about the presence of pollutants and use this as an effective tool in pollution monitoring
Honey collection is a major source of livelihood for many. But changing farm practices, reducing forest cover, increasing use of pesticides and growing cell phone penetration are killing honeybees
Conservationists attribute the decline in the population of house sparrows to the unfriendly architecture of our homes, chemical fertilizers in our crops and noise pollution
In the past few decades, the aquatic life has been adversely affected due to human intervention. Agricultural use of pesticides is the leading cause of death among amphibians like frogs
Many of us have cherished memories of spotting and catching fireflies that twinkled as if stars. But kids of today may not grow up with similar memories. That’s because fireflies are disappearing
With the change in season, many areas in the country witness the arrival of migratory birds. However, factors like the pastures being robbed off their greenery and destroying of the traditional water resources have made the advent of these migratory birds increasingly difficult
Home-birth enthusiasts are rooting for the practice to be made mainstream by integrating traditional midwives, and midwifery in general, to the Indian health infrastructure.
Sex workers in Maharashtra are struggling to make ends meet, but not risking contracting COVID-19. They are certain sex trade will not stop, and have devised new methods to 'stay safe'
Over 1,000 women in villages along the southwest coast of Bangladesh, adjoining the Sundarbans mangrove forest, are ostracised because their husbands were killed by Bengal tigers.
Women associated with self-help groups in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district provided employment to about 70 male migrant workers who returned from cities and were jobless. The acknowledgement has motivated more women to come forward.
Koli fisherwomen in Mumbai have not earned a penny in the last almost three months. Fishing ban in June and July, with no monetary compensation, may tip them over the edge
India has an estimated 1.2 million sex workers who have no clear legal standing, thus making these marginalised women ‘criminals'. To break the coronavirus chain, social distancing and isolation are crucial. But, how are women sex workers coping in such a scenario? A Gaon Connection report from Hanuman Tekdi, a red-light area in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra
Women’s empowerment will not have any meaning without tackling anaemia. While the governments are working to deal with this, there is a need for greater awareness to tackle this problem
A girl living in Sitapur district in Uttar Pradesh was raped when she was 19. It has been two years since the incidence. Now she feels she will not get justice. The police for long said they can’t do much against the accused for ‘misbehviour’ because the girl did not use the word rape in the FIR
The percentage of those in the 18-24 age group enrolling for higher education has more than doubled since 2005-06. The government has set a target of 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio by 2030
Members of the third gender are invited to celebrate a birth or a wedding. They say they would rather prefer a normal existence than the special treatment they get only on some days
Residents of 36 villages in Kusheshwar Asthan Purbi of Darbhanga are displaced due to floods for more than a month now. Over 200 families here are living under tarpaulins on Kosi’s embankment.
In this photoblog, Abhay Kanvinde looks at the most polluted and populated stretch of Mutha River in Pune and astounds us with the life that abounds here.
An intricate network of rivers and beels (wetlands) forms the natural drainage system of Guwahati city on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. Last few decades, these water bodies have been encroached upon, thereby contributing towards an increased incidence of urban flooding
Apart from being illegal, such a facility is an environmental disaster. The Yamuna river floodplain should not be made a sacrificial goat at the altar of short-sighted developmental needs
The Bahini-Bharalu, Guwahati's main river, carries a large chunk of untreated sewage and empties it into the Brahmaputra river. Polluted sewage also flows into a bird sanctuary. The sewage generation is expected to go up ...
With ambitious solar power plant projects, India may be charging towards its 100 GW solar power capacity goal but, tackling solar waste will be key to safeguarding the environment.
In spite of lightning sensors, alerts through mobile apps, over 2,500 people die annually due to lightning strikes in the country. The state governments need to bridge the last-mile communication challenge to reduce these preventable deaths.
Mining and combustion of coal, a fossil fuel, is linked to both environmental pollution and climate change. India’s first climate change assessment report warns of an average temperature increase of 4.4°C by the end of the century, along with an increase in heatwaves, droughts, and intense cyclones
An artificial reef has helped restore a part of the Puducherry beach. But, more interventions are needed to complete this pilot project that can guide beach restoration along India’s coastline
Both pre-monsoon and post-monsoon cyclonic activities are on the rise in the Arabian Sea. Climate scientists blame this on the rapid warming of the ocean
Cyclone Amphan intensified from a category-1 cyclone to category-5 within 18 hours. Meteorologists attribute this to record high sea-surface temperatures and ocean heat content. As oceans heat up, intense cyclone formations are expected
Every year, about 300,000 tons of human hair is treated as waste. Its accumulation in waste streams poses serious environmental problem. Scientists have fixed this problem
With Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerji, and Michael Kremer winning the 2019 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, there is renewed interest and discourse around randomised controlled trials
The year 2019 will be remembered for breaking several previous records of extreme weather events be it the cold wave, large-scale rainfall anomalies, or the number of cyclones
In the fourth part of our series ‘Corona Heroes’, meet Prashant Gade. He has been making affordable prosthetic arms, but he recently designed a ventilator that costs just Rs 30-35,000
Experts blame road widening projects and hill cutting works for causing widespread landslides in the state, as villages are cut-off and standing crops destroyed.
As Oil India Limited struggles to douse the fire at its Baghjan Oilfield in Assam’s Tunsukia district, an expert committee report before National Green Tribunal finds many faults with its operations.
Bangladesh is no stranger to monsoon flooding, but the flooding this year has been the longest since the floods of 1988. One-third of the country has been submerged.
At least three breaches reported in the embankments of river Gandak in north Bihar leading to inundation of hundreds of villages in Gopalganj and East Champaran districts.
About two months back, on May 20, Super Cyclone Amphan crossed West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts causing extensive damages. Two months later, poor in coastal Bangladesh continue to suffer the cyclone’s impacts. A Gaon Connection photo feature.
Every year during the monsoon, Assam faces floods. But this year the crisis has magnified, as the state is handling multiple disasters while the COVID-19 cases are also on the rise. The oil well at Tinsukia is on fire since June 9.
Small and marginal farmers in seven villages of Soegaon taluka in Aurangabad have suffered losses worth Rs 40 lakh as one night’s heavy rainfall has destroyed their cotton and ginger crops. Panchnamas still not done; farmers have no money for second sowing
The Met department has issued flood warning in Bihar due to continuous heavy rainfall expected over the region for the next two to three days. Meanwhile, several families displaced due to last year’s flash floods are still living under tarpaulins with no basic facilities
A joint survey by the National Fishworkers’ Forum and Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti has recorded extensive damages in the coastal districts of Raigad and Ratnagiri due to the Cyclone Nisarga. But, timely warning and evacuation helped save lives
Almost a month after the Cyclone Amphan made a landfall in the Sundarbans, power supply is restored in Sagar Island. But, no source of income as both farmlands and fishing ponds are destroyed
For generations, the inhabitants of Raghurajpur village in Puri district of Odisha have been narrating mythological stories through their world-famous paintings — pattachitra — and palm leaf engravings
The earliest evidence of kite flying can be seen in Mughal paintings. From being a stress-busters for the Mughals in India, to being used in military operations in China, the kite has come a long way
Gurpreet Singh, who lives in Punjab, is an engineer by profession. He has this unique habit of collecting old, discarded stuff. He creates something useful out of those things that are considered to be useless
Sugar production involves two operations -- processing cane into raw sugar and processing the raw sugar into refined sugar. Watch to understand the process of making sugar from cane
In Dumaria village in Purnia district in Bihar, farmers have taken up marigold farming, which fetches them more than maize and paddy. They sell these flowers across India and Nepal
These weavers work long hours but don't get paid enough. They want to take up other jobs but most of them don’t have any other skillset. The next generation is already moving out
Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union, speaks to Gaon Connection on the long agitation that has led to the farm laws being repealed, but says there is still a long way to go before the agitating farmers go back home to their villages and farms.
The animal husbandry ministry provided biogas plants to houses having milch animals and bought the slurry in return. The ministry claims it has increased the farmers’ income by three times
The small-scale traditional fishers in India are facing many challenges. T Peter, secretary, National Fishworkers' Forum, believes the government should give some subsidy to the fisher folk
Amul belongs to 36 lakh farmer families of Gujarat, said its managing director RS Sodhi. The best thing about Amul is that the profit from value addition goes directly to the accounts of farmers
In an interview with Gaon Connection, Uttar Pradesh Rural Development Minister Rajendra Pratap Singh spoke about gram panchayat elections, the housing scheme, MGNREGA and lot more ...
It’s white, soft, sweet & fluffy … it simply melts in your mouth! Malai Makkhan is a dessert that truly has a nawabi touch. It is believed that the Mughals used to polish this delicacy off in minutes. Head to Old Lucknow to have the best malai makkhan
Meticulously measured ingredients and a practiced technique makes the perfect biryani. The evolution of biryani spans many centuries, many cultures, many ingredients and many cooking styles. Head to Lalla’s in Old Lucknow for some yummy biryani
A hole in the wall shop in Barabanki district in Uttar Pradesh, just 60 kms from state capital Lucknow, has been selling finger-licking kachoris for years now. Head to the shop — fondly known as Tandon jee kachori wala — for some yummy kachoris
The pride of Bundelkhand, these are songs of the battlefield, songs of bravery from a bygone era. Sung in Veer rasa, Aalha songs are sung by sword-wielding men and women in very powerful voices
If you are in Rajasthan, chances are that you will find many folk artists playing this instrument, commonly known as the Ravanhatha. There are not many artists who play the instrument now, but its melodious tune will attract you to the folk artists instantly
Jhumar is a folk-dance form from Bihar. It is said women express their joy and happiness through Jhumar when their husbands, who have been away from them, return home after a long time