This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.

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Anxious farmers in Maharashtra prepare to sow amidst lockdown

Most of the cultivable area is non-irrigated, making the upcoming kharif season crucial for survival for the entire year for most of the farmers.

Years of neglect led to Vizag gas tragedy

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the industrial plant in Visakhapatnam was operating without a valid environment clearance for more than two decades.

From shed hair, scientists obtain whole genomes of wild tigers

Obtaining whole genome information for individual tigers using this method could aid several conservation and management actions such as tiger translocations and tiger forensics.

Coexisting with an increasing number of Asiatic lions

Over 50 per cent of the country’s lion population currently lives outside a protected area.

[Commentary] The environmental impacts of the economic package

The lockdown provided an opportunity to introspect and change the economic, environmental, and policy systems that led to the migration crisis, writes S. Gopikrishna Warrier.

Rajasthan sees spike in wildlife poaching during COVID-19 lockdown

Rajasthan’s forest officials have noticed a rise in poaching of wild animals including chinkaras and birds in western Rajasthan, probably due to demand for meat and loss of daily wages.

Genetic study suggests Himalayan ibex could be different from their Siberian counterparts

Experts say it is difficult to draw conclusions from this limited study and much more research will be needed to understand if ibex in the trans-Himalayas might be a separate species.

Nanotechnology applications can boost agricultural output in emergencies

A trace amount of nano iron pyrite can pump up seed and root metabolism and increase the production of certain crops, said scientists at IIT-Kanpur.

Land banks to help economy post lockdown could threaten poor communities

However, those working on land right issues highlight that land banks often end up in conflict and then in courts, defeating the purpose for which they were created.

[Commentary] Post-COVID there is a case for a greener GNP

Air and water pollution have been shown to add a significant cost to India’s GNP. A greener GNP will take these costs into consideration and work to minimise them, writes Ganesan Balachander.

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Sandhya Sekar Editor

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