Columns
COVID-19 is a ‘known unknown’ in rural India
The virus is spreading in rural areas but we don’t know to what extent because there is no disaggregated data in the public domain. But it is clear that even remote tribal areas are not totally untouched.
Patralekha Chatterjee
All creatures great and small: The wetlands are home to a humming eco-system
There was monsoon in the air. I was under the pretty skies when I heard the sound. A buzzing…like a distant helicopter. Anyone who has spent time near wetlands will instantly identify it.
Neha Sinha
Is science really reaching our villages?
Much has been written about how science and technology can transform villages, but science may not always have all the answers. India’s villages are also the cradles of jugaad or frugal innovation.
Subhra Priyadarshini
Stranded at Sea: The plight of abandoned seafarers worldwide has been worsened by COVID-19
About 0.1 million stranded seafarers on sea lack clean water, fuel, food and legal help, besides the immigration papers that will help them disembark, or the money that will get them home.
Ian Urbina
A Sinking Feeling: Southwest Haryana in trouble as groundwater levels plunge
With the advent of borewells and pumps, people in southwest Haryana are digging deeper to access water. The region has one of the country’s worst cases of groundwater depletion.
Partik Kumar
Friends of the river: Frolicking dolphins, and a group dedicated to preserving the River Yamuna
The Nadi Mitra Mandali established by Jayakant and his friends now also promotes sanitation, natural farming, solar power and more.
Manoj Misra
Monsoon 2020: Large excess season, the silver lining during pandemic, a boost to agriculture and economy
Cyclone Nisarga in June, deficient rainfall in July, record low pressure systems in August, and La Niña in September. This year’s monsoon season draws to an end with a delayed withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.
Sridhar Balasubramanian
Shifting Sands: Illegal sand mining is killing both people and the environment
Illegal sand mining that has come up around uncontrolled construction is taking a toll on environment and human lives. The present regulations and mining guidelines seem inadequate to stem the rot.
Manoj Misra
In the COVID-19 pandemic, hidden morbidities in rural pockets may morph into another health catastrophe
Overburdened with corona services, the Health and Wellness Centres in rural areas are unable to screen people for non-communicable diseases. This may lead to another health crisis.
Patralekha Chatterjee
Before the Blast: The chain of events since 2013 that led to the Beirut blast
What happened in Lebanon is rooted in a deeper problem of maritime abandonment of ships, seafarers and cargo. Vessel owners and operators walk away from their responsibilities with impunity.