This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.
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As water level of Sardar Sarovar dam rises, villages in Madhya Pradesh drown
While originally pegged at 76 villages, the MP government has reportedly admitted that 178 villages will be affected by submergence as Sardar Sarovar dam inches to full capacity.
Mekedatu project threatens to submerge chunks of Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary
The project in Karnataka aims to store water to supply Bengaluru. It is estimated to submerge over 7800 acres of Cauvery WLS and over 4500 acres of the adjoining reserve forests.
Community initiatives tackle climate change in Ladakh village
Traditional Ladakhi houses and farming practices are finding it difficult to cope with rapidly changing climatic conditions. Water scarcity is adding to the region’s stress.
Artificial intelligence-powered app for banana disease detection, control
The Tumaini app is currently being tested in Tamil Nadu, a “hotspot” of banana pest and disease.
Who killed the wandering rhino in Assam?
Mongabay investigates the disappearance, death and discovery of a rhino that wandered out from Orang NP in 2018 and then turned up buried adjoining a nearby wildlife sanctuary.
Still charging: India’s electric vehicle plan
Electric vehicles (EVs), especially powered by renewable power, can be a sustainable solution for reducing air pollution in Indian cities and bring down India’s oil import bill.
Q&A with author and conservationist Paul Rosolie
Mongabay senior correspondent Jeremy Hance talks at length with conservationist Paul Rosolie, whose new novel, The Girl and the Tiger, is releasing on 17th September.
Save wildlife from power lines, says environment ministry’s panel
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has guidelines for power lines and electricity infrastructure for minimal disturbance to wildlife in protected areas.
What shola sky islands say about diseases in wild birds
Research on the wild birds in the shola sky islands shows that some malarial parasites are more likely to invade bird communities than others.
Groundwater in Rajasthan fouled by natural and human-made toxins
Over three-quarters of the sampled wells that provide drinking water contain contaminants such as fluoride, nitrate, and uranium at high levels that exceed both Indian and WHO norms.