Industrial and other Manmade Disasters

How forest-dwelling communities are braving the pandemic

Local communities and gram sabhas better understand the local complexities than the local administrations while dealing with a crisis situation. Amita Bhaduri posted 3 months 1 week ago

The pandemic and lockdown measures have had a drastic impact on a large population of poor and marginalised communities, causing loss of livelihoods and employment, food insecurity and socio-economic distress. While vulnerabilities, atrocities and injustices faced by forest communities due to forest, conservation and economic policies have increased d

The non timber forest products collection season, which is mainly in the months of April to June coincided exactly with the lockdown (Image: CIFOR, Flickr Commons)

Governance lessons that could keep us prepared for pandemics

Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group speaks on rethinking aspects of our governance system in post-pandemic times. Amita Bhaduri posted 3 months 2 weeks ago

Unabashed assaults by human beings on the natural ecological system have caused the coronavirus to spread in the first place.

Decentralised governance systems that allow to adapt and learn are best placed to deal with disasters (Image: Kantsmith, Pixabay)

Pandemic impacts on women – Stories of survival

Women experience the effects of the COVID-19 crisis in different, often more negative ways. How are they coping? Amita Bhaduri posted 3 months 2 weeks ago

The pandemic has wrought havoc on the entire world. Pessimism, suffering, unemployment, hunger and poverty resound in all corners. To survive is a physical, mental and financial battle. And every family and individual has an anecdote to narrate that speaks volumes about their combat strategy, losses and victories.

Gender dimensions of the pandemic (Image: Gby Atee)

Satyagrah by the river calls for action against erosion

River erosion, so intense, that the whole village is in danger. As the government’s help seems a distant dream, locals carry out Satyagrah to expose their plight to the authorities. Swati Bansal posted 4 months ago

Since last week, people of Birjain village have been protesting against erosion by the river bank. They are demanding that the government should put in efforts to prevent river erosion and save their houses, otherwise they will continue with their Satyagrah and perform Jal Samadhi (suicide by drowning). Sattore, a flood-prone Panchayat has about 3000 houses.

Satyagrah by the river (Image source: Umesh K Ray)

Swollen rivers engulf houses and erode banks wreaking havoc in Bihar

Swollen rivers engulf houses and erode banks in Bihar while the government turns a blind eye to this annual misery. Swati Bansal posted 4 months 1 week ago

Floods coupled with erosion increase the woes of Bihar

Erosion due to floods in Ganga river (Source: Umesh Kumar Ray)

Swachh Survekshan 2020: Indore tops in cleanest city category

News this week Swati Bansal posted 4 months 3 weeks ago

Indore once again tops the Swachh Survekshan 2020 in the cleanest city category

Clean road near Pardesipura, Indore. (Source: India Water Portal)

Book review: Future Earth

The book outlines how to reverse the short- and long-term effects of climate change over the next three decades. Amita Bhaduri posted 4 months 3 weeks ago

Eric Holthaus’s ‘Future Earth: A Radical Vision For What’s Possible in the Age of Warming’ is unique in its sco

Climate change (Image: Kai Stachowiak; Public domain pictures)

With no food on their plate, people seek government help

Incessant rains and floods continue to batter Bihar killing people and livestock, while putting more lives at risk as people continue to wait for government help. Swati Bansal posted 4 months 3 weeks ago

For about last three weeks, Dhananjay Kumar along with his wife and children have been living on the embankment under their plastic shed following the late night July floods that submerged their house.

Flood water enters Chanchalia village. (Image source: Umesh Kumar Ray)

Livestock rearers and fishers bear the brunt of cyclone Amphan

Ravaged by the severe tropical cyclone that struck the region this summer, the livestock and fishes have taken a hit, impacting people's livelihoods. Amita Bhaduri posted 4 months 4 weeks ago

The Amphan cyclone that struck the Sundarbans in the month of May this year has wreaked havoc in the area destroying lives and livelihood. A lot of the locals living in the Sundarbans depend on animal husbandry and fishing to earn a living. The cyclone destroyed animal rearing shelters and swept away most of the cattle and domestic animals.

The Amphan swept away the chicken coops and other domestic animals. This is Anup Bhakta standing with one of the few goats left after the storm. (Image: WaterAid, Subhrajit Sen)

Locals struggle with WASH issues post-Amphan

Cyclone Amphan wreaks havoc in the Sunderbans at a time when the country was already battling a large spread of Covid-19. Amita Bhaduri posted 4 months 4 weeks ago

UN’s recognition of safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right recently hit a decade and this makes us ponder even more about the situation in the Sundarbans after the Amphan cyclone. The destruction caused by Amphan in the Sundarbans poses a massive threat to the very right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation of the people living there.