Assam's tea growers, struggling under high production costs and low profit margins, have turned to growing agarwood, in the process helping to revive it from its endangered status.
With its potential to supplement incomes of fishermen and other communities along the nation's long coastline, seaweed cultivation is gaining momentum. Goa's first pilot farm is about to be launched.
The rapid growth of the industry has brought jobs and prosperity, but also threatens the city's lakes and hills. A new way forward is needed, with emphasis on sustainability and conservation.
Apart from the loss of their habitat, migratory birds face a new threat from the growing number of renewable energy projects. The Great Indian Bustard has seen its numbers drop precipitously.
Many landowners around forests would set aside some lands in exchange for payments. Some see this as a promising conservation strategy, but others believe more nuance is needed.
Faced with a multiplicity of values, mainstream conservation has tended to retreat to biocentrism, pragmatism or scientism. A broad-based, democratic environmentalism would be more tenable.
Per Biological Diversity Act, 2002 before using any Indian biological material for commercial or R&D purposes, public consultation is needed via the local Biodiversity Management Committees, which the National Biodiversity Authority wants to do away with.
Even as many pockets of the state, including its capital, battle the ravages of development and consumerism, a couple of villages visited by the author stand as examples of resilient local economies and lifestyles. Aditya Vikram Rametra describes what he saw here.
Numerous species of Indian birds are critically endangered. Only strict conservation laws can help them survive. Experts fear that many will be wiped off as the environment deteriorates.
The lack of awareness about a traditionally peace-loving species, and inadequate safeguards to protect their natural habitats and corridors pose a serious threat to leopards in and around Guwahati.
The government’s push to the amended land acquisition law overlooks provisions in other acts that address closely related issues such as food security and conservation of biodiversity, writes Shalini Bhutani.
On 15 November, the Assam State Zoo opened its doors to three pygmy hogs, becoming the only zoo in the world to house this critically endangered species. Ratna Bharali Talukdar reports on an ongoing project that’s trying to save the animal and its habitats in the face of all odds.
Rejuvenation of the Ganga has purportedly grabbed a big share of the new government’s focus, but would plans ignoring the upper Ganga basin really be effective? Shripad Dharmadhikary discusses the findings of an expert body that could be crucial to the agenda.
The Rs 6300-crore plans for development of the Ganga waterway from Allahabad to Haldia should be undertaken only after meticulous examination of its impact on various elements of river ecology. Debadityo Sinha explains why.
India Together is published with support from Oorvani Foundation.
