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Kerala has launched an advanced weather alert system to cope with disasters
Kerala has launched KaWaCHaM, one of the world’s fastest weather alert systems to enhance rescue and rehabilitation efforts during extreme weather events. The system has been developed by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) in response to the growing number of climate emergencies the state such as the disastrous floods of 2018 and the devastating Wayanad landslide last year that resulted in the deaths of 420 people.
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), KaWaCHaM is an advanced disaster warning system that integrates alerts, sirens, and global weather models to improve the state’s early disaster preparedness and public safety.
The system has been developed with funding from the National Disaster Management Authority and the World Bank as a part of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project. It combines Kerala’s entire early warning mechanisms into one framework and includes hazard assessment, alert issuance, and action planning according to threat levels.
The project plans to install 126 sirens and strobe lights on tall towers, government buildings, and schools. The system will include pre-recorded voice messages and audio alerts to provide warnings. Headed by the State Emergency Operation Centre, the system will operate at the taluk (subdistrict) level and cover all vulnerable areas (Down To Earth).
Residents from Loliem village in northern Goa come together to protect their lands
Loliem village in Canacina taluka of Goa is rich in biodiversity, surrounded by lush forests and orchards at higher elevations with slopes giving way to paddy fields, mangrove forests, and the sea. However this land is gradually being lost to changes in land use across the state. There is a keen interest from the government to integrate the area with the rapidly expanding infrastructure of the state that is experiencing a big demand for luxury and tourist properties.
Residents from the village however do not want their lands to be opened up for big projects that will destroy the natural resources in the area and have pinned their hopes on the ongoing demarcation of the Western Ghats’ Eco Sensitive Areas (ESA). The villages of Loliem and the neighbouring Poingunin petitioned the Union Environment Ministry last year, demanding they be included in the final ESA notification, which could offer some protection from large-scale infrastructure projects.
The recent proposal of the government plans to construct a film city on the Bhagwati Plateau, a laterite plateau often mistaken as barren land because of its dry, grassy appearance, which blooms into a riot of colours with several rare flora in the monsoon with its porous rocks helping in replenishing and storing groundwater (Mongabay, India).
School children in Pune join hands with farmers to understand soil health
Farmers often struggle to access accurate soil health data in rural areas and risk wasting money on fertilisers that their soil may not need, or missing out on essential nutrients that could improve their crop yield.
A school in Pune has found a unique solution to this problem. In 2007, Deep Griha Academy, a school located in the heart of Deulgaon Gada, Morgaon Road, Daund Taluka, Pune decided to introduce the agriculture into its curriculum. The idea was to make the next generation aware of the vital role that soil and agriculture play in the rural economy and sustaining local communities.
Students in the school are introduced to agriculture from a very young age and are taught about the complete cycle of farming, from sowing seeds to harvesting, while emphasising organic farming methods.
In December 2024, the school organised a unique event where farmers from neighbouring areas visited to get their soil tested. The scientists performing the test were students of classes seven and eight. The kits were sourced with the support of Proximal Soilsens — a company that produces soil testing kits and helps farmers understand their crops better. One of the main goals of this initiative was to teach students the importance of soil health, and also encourage them to help the farmers by providing quick and actionable soil reports.
The project was launched as a pilot with 15 students from class 7, who used the Soilsens kit to measure levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements. Farmers arrived from seven different villages, including Yavat, Supa, Kedgaon, Kasurdi, Deulgaon Gada, and Boripardhi came for the event. Some farmers even brought multiple soil samples from different plots of land and received actionable reports from the students (The Better India).
Scientists develop new material that could help reduce water pollution
Scientists from The University of Manchester have developed a new material that could help reduce water pollution caused by harmful chemicals from industries such as medicines and hygiene products which end up in rivers and lakes and disrupt ecosystems causing harm to plants, animals and humans.
The method uses a molecular structure called a metal-organic cage (MOC) that acts like a trap designed to catch and hold harmful molecules found in water. The cages are made up of metal ions connected by organic molecules, which form a hollow pyramid-like structure. The MOCs trap pollutants or gases in these hollow spaces.
The new structure uses sulfonates allowing it to function in real-world water systems, like rivers or wastewater. It uses hydrophobic binding, where contaminant molecules preferentially "stick" to the inside of the cage rather than staying in the water. This allows the material to selectively capture and hold pollutants, even in challenging water environments.
The new MOC technology could provide a valuable tool to help clean up water systems and prevent pollutants from entering rivers and lakes near urban or industrial areas where wastewater discharge is common (Phys.org).
South Asia found to be the hotspot for alarming levels of sulphate in groundwater
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), School of Engineering has launched the world's first high-resolution global groundwater sulphate distribution map. The map has revealed that about 17 million people are at risk of gastrointestinal problems due to excessive sulphate in groundwater.
Consumption of groundwater with high sulphate concentration can lead to diarrhoea and dehydration and infants and senior citizens are the most vulnerable to the risk. High sulphate levels in groundwater can also exacerbate arsenic contamination in water and trigger the release of heavy metals from corrosion of pipelines leading to other health conditions and economic costs.
This first of its kind map has highlighted sulphate excessive hotspots and identified key contributing factors, which include natural elements such as precipitation patterns and sedimentary geology, as well as human activities like fertiliser application and mining operations.
The map has revealed that approximately 194 million people worldwide are exposed to water with sulphate concentrations exceeding 250 mg/L, an estimated 17 million people face substantial health risks because they live in regions where sulphate concentrations surpass 500 mg/L—levels associated with gastrointestinal issues.
The map has found that South Asia and North Africa are the hotspots for high sulphate concentrations in groundwater, where many rely on untreated groundwater for drinking (Phys.org).
This is a roundup of news updates from the 16th of January 2025 to 31st January 2025. Read our policy updates here