Biodiversity

Draft EIA notification 2020 attracts criticism from experts

Water fleas are small crustaceans widely found in varied aquatic habitats. They are very sensitive to changes in the water quality of water bodies such as rivers and streams that they inhabit.

Coastal flooding is rising in India and recent evidence shows that as high as 36 million Indians will be at the risk of chronic flooding by 2050. The Indian coastline extends over 7,500 kmts across nine states, two Union territories and two island territories — Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Dams threaten freshwater biodiversity

Freshwater habitats like rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, streams, swamps and marshes account for only three percent of the world’s water and cover about 0.8 percent of the Earth’s surface, but harbour incredible diversity and are homes to more than 100, 000 species of plants and animals.

The Department of Water Resources, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has constituted a drafting committee on 5 November 2019 to revise the existing National Water Policy (NWP). Dr. Mihir Shah, a renowned water expert and a former member of the Planning Commission is chairing the committee. The committee has 10 principal members and it is expected that the committee produces a report within six months of its formation.

Railway stations to be classified based on wastewater generation

Fire breaks at an oil well in Assam damaging ecozones around the site

Jharkhand is a state dominated by tribal communities located in eastern part of India. Agriculture, NTFP (Non-timber forest produce) collection and daily wage laborers are the prime source of income for rural Jharkhand. The sudden spread of Covid-19 forced both state and union governments to impose a 2 month lockdown and tribal communities could not work and sell their agricultural produce as well as NTFPs during the lockdown period. The lockdown thus snatched away the rice bowl of the tribals and left them unprepared to deal with the situation.

While Covid-19 has left many countries including India in the line of fire, the situation in India is now getting particularly alarming with the number of people infected by Covid-19 rising at a rapid pace. While cases continue to rise in some of the major Indian cities, the situation in Northeast appears to be relatively better as compared to other states although cases appear to be rising.