A “do or die” agitation against coal pollution in Odisha
For over a decade, the villages near the Kulda opencast mine in Odisha’s Hemgiri block in the Sundargarh district have been fighting coal pollution without respite. In a desperate bid…
Articles by Meena Menon
Independent journalist and author of Riots and After in Mumbai, Reporting
Pakistan and co-author of A Frayed History - The Journey of Cotton in India.
Former Bureau chief, The Hindu, Mumbai.
[Interview] Nicolas Salazar Sutil: placing trees and indigenous knowledge at the centre of future healing
If trees on our earth could mobilise, fighting for life would be the way forward, says Nicolas Salazar Sutil, the founder and director of Forest Guardians, an independent organisation that…
Coloured cotton from India on the cusp of commercial release in 2021
After over three decades of research, an Indian variety of coloured cotton may be commercially released by 2021. A decision will be taken once the last phase of the agronomy…
As water level of Gujarat’s Sardar Sarovar dam rises, villages in Madhya Pradesh drown
On the morning of September 5, 2019, as water submerged Khaparkheda village (Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh), government officials were trying to move people to makeshift tin sheds in the adjacent…
As cloud seeding catches on in times of climate change, more research holds the key
An aircraft poised to enter dark clouds – and spray chemicals to produce rain. Sounds magical -- that’s the image often associated with cloud seeding. In reality, it is much…
[Commentary] Why the drought did not matter in Marathwada during polls
Two months ago, when the rest of the country was preparing for the Lok Sabha elections, 22-year-old Kanchan Kalyan Dongre’s life was about to take a turn for the worse.…
No country for regulation – of genetically engineered crops
India’s seed market hides a sea of illegality, which keeps rearing its ugly head every once in a while. The discovery of genetically modified (GM) brinjal in a Haryana farmer’s…
Marathwada parched as watershed conservation remains neglected
Every few years, the recurring drought in Marathwada region of Maharashtra is attributed to poor rains. Stop-gap arrangements for tanker water, fodder camps or jobs under the Employment Guarantee Scheme…
In Marathwada the queues are for collecting water during this election season
The irony is unmistakable. In the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, which is in the grip of arguably the worst drought since 1972, what stands out is hectic road construction. En…
No place for political campaigning as Vemulaghat’s ongoing protest stands strong
This is the second article in a two-part series on the role of environment in the upcoming elections in Telangana. Part One examines the scarcity of water in the state despite…
In spite of mega projects water is scarce in rural Telangana
This is the first article in a two-part series on the role of environment in the upcoming elections in Telangana. Part Two highlights the pre-election situation in villages where the ongoing…
A lost desi cotton heritage
In a region where Bt cotton rules the roost, Kamal Kishore Dhiran, a farmer in Balodi, 50 km from Yavatmal (in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra) is an outlier. He has…
The pink bollworm menace adds to Maharashtra cotton farmers’ distress
On August 10, when Sanjay Rathod walked to his lush cotton field in Lasina village in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, he noticed some closed yellow flowers. Opening them, he found to his…
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- Humans are contaminating Earth’s waterways with medicines, pharmaceutical ingredients
- Inhaling particulate matter is increasing the prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age
- Health effects of heat stress will intensify disproportionately without ambitious efforts
- Climate action, pollution control needed to keep sulphur dioxide in check
Almost Famous Species
- [Interview] Researcher Amit Kumar Bal on studying carnivores in the thick of Mizoram forests
- [Commentary] India’s wildlife conservation journey has had great strides and many hurdles
- [Explainer] Woody climbers, lianas, embody the inter-connectedness of a forest
- Concerns over increased whale shark stranding along Andhra Pradesh’s coast
India's Iconic Landscapes
- [Commentary] India’s wildlife conservation journey has had great strides and many hurdles
- All eyes on the next chapter: India prepares to host cheetahs after 70 years
- Farming becomes tough in Himachal’s cold desert with changing climate and crop pattern
- Manipur landslide sparks ecological debate
Beyond Protected Areas
- [Interview] Researcher Amit Kumar Bal on studying carnivores in the thick of Mizoram forests
- Drones, thermal cameras track animal movement to reduce conflict with humans in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli
- [Commentary] India’s wildlife conservation journey has had great strides and many hurdles
- Demand for sand in Bangladesh escalates illegal activities, threatens environment
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Commentary] Is agroecological farming a solution for rainfed degraded land?
- Farmers fear low fruit production as Kashmir records decline in precipitation
- Scientists sequence chickpea genome which could inform crop improvement efforts
- [Video Explainer] What is the significance of the Biological Diversity Amendment Bill and why did it face opposition?
Just Transitions
- Land banks in Jharkhand may become a recipe for conflicts
- Unaccounted deaths lay bare the dark side of sand mining
- In the midst of coal shortage reports, a coal mine extension is approved in pristine Hasdeo forests
- As India looks to shift to renewables, Jharkhand’s coal mine workers fear loss of jobs and social security
