Reportage
Twin benefits of mangrove plantation in Sundarbans: building resilience to climate change and supporting rural livelihood
A joint effort by rural women in the Sundarbans and a non-profit is helping restore mangrove cover. The initiative is expected to reduce the impact of cyclones while it is also an income source to the women who are both planting and guarding the mangrove saplings.
Shivani Gupta
Assam floods: 174 villages hit by floods in seven districts; farmlands, roads, bridges suffer damages
Nearly 86,000 people across seven districts of Assam are hit by the deluge. Bongaigaon is the worst affected district. River Brahmaputra in Jorhat district continues to flow in ‘severe situation’ and is forecasted to rise further. Meanwhile, Odisha, Rajasthan and Gujarat may be heading into a drought year due to deficient monsoon rainfall.
Gaon Connection
Govt launches service to block SIM cards registered with your Aadhaar number — check here
The users can avail the information of the numbers registered in their name by entering their mobile phone number followed by submitting an one-time password (OTP).
Gaon Connection
Africa’s Madagascar on the brink of world’s first climate change-induced famine: UN
Changing weather patterns as a result of climate change have wreaked havoc on 1.14 million people in Madagascar who are on the brink of starvation. Details here.
Gaon Connection
Five states in peninsular India, including Kerala and Maharashtra, account for 82% of active COVID cases: Centre
Kerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu account for 82 per cent of India’s active caseload. Kerala again reported over 30,000 new daily infections today and 162 deaths. But its case fatality ratio is 0.50%. Maharashtra has also registered an increase in daily cases.
Gaon Connection
Solar pumpsets gain some popularity amongst Rajasthan farmers but access to credit impeding PM Kusum scheme across India
The PM KUSUM scheme seeks to maximise the use of solar power by farmers by adopting solar pumpsets for irrigation. But a new CEEW study, based on discussions with stakeholders in several states, has cited challenges and suggested measures that can help the scheme in achieving optimum success. Details here.
Gaon Connection
Half of freshwater coal power plants flout water consumption rules; most plants located in water-scarce regions: CSE report
Coal-power plants in India consume huge amounts of water. A new study by the Centre for Environment and Science shows that these plants with cooling towers consume twice as much water as their global counterparts. Most of these power plants do not comply with 2015 water-consumption norms to regulate irrational use of water in coal power plants.
Shivani Gupta
Ganesh, Jyoti, Mridula, Bhagwa… All you need to know about pomegranate varieties and their cultivation
The pomegranate plant is a giving one. Just a little bit of care can go a long way with a single tree bearing up to 80 fruits a year for up to 30 years. Here is how you can start cultivating the pomegranate that is packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
Pintu Lal Meena
Withered crops, cattle in distress; west Rajasthan stares a drought in the face as monsoon rains play truant
While traditionally this is a rain-starved arid area, farmers and cattle rearers are in grief as even the sparse rain they should have received has evaded them in the districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer.
Gaon Connection
As Centre raises sugarcane price by Rs 5 per quintal, here’s what farmers have to say about the hike
While stating that the Union government has efficiently bolstered the prospects of profit for the sugarcane farmers without adding the burden of inflation on the consumers, Union minister Piyush Goyal announced the hike in sugarcane FRP. But are the farmers happy about the hike? Details here.