A year on, plastic waste returns to U.P. despite ban
On May 21 this year, Bada Mangal, the Hindu festival to commemorate the birth of Hanuman, the monkey god, was celebrated across Uttar Pradesh (UP). To mark the occasion, feasts…
Why the city that never stops comes to a standstill when it rains
When the rain poured down on Mumbai last week, drowning the city in what now seems like an annual affair, it once again brought up the question – why is…
Chennai water crisis once again exposes the city’s climate vulnerability
It is noon and the scorching heat of Chennai’s sun hits across S. Punitha’s face. She has just filled her first pot for the day from a hand pump in…
Delhi is running out of water, and it is everybody’s problem
The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre has announced the launch of Nal Se Jal (Water From Tap), a poll-promise from its 2019 manifesto, to ensure piped water…
[Book Review] The stories of our roots
Reading Cities and Canopies is like sitting through an Indian family gathering. There's the know-it-all uncle, the remedy-ready grandmother and the botany graduate cousin, who all have something to share…
As Kolkata’s groundwater level depletes, consequences go beyond water shortage
The weather is sultry and the temperature is scorching at Raipur locality in Jadavpur, off south Kolkata. The furnace-like conditions have forced residents to stay indoors. But Meena Nag is…
Women lead the way in disaster preparedness, recovery in Odisha’s Ganjam
High-speed winds had smacked into sturdy mango trees and shaken the fruits away. They were all over the ground. Extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani’s dread had barely passed. Rashmi Behera…
[Commentary] Back to the Future: Lessons from Cyclone Fani
On May 3, the coastal state of Odisha in eastern India witnessed Fani, an ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’ and the first major cyclone of the 2019 North Indian Ocean cyclone…
[Photos] City dwellers…now you see me?
The shade of a tree gives a much-needed respite from the sweltering heat. While checking messages on the phone, you see a movement out of the corner of your eye.…
[Commentary] Biodiversity heritage sites could turn out to be a lifeline for India’s conservation efforts
There are many varied spaces -- sacred groves, industrial complexes, national level institutes, village commons, universities, defence lands, temple premises, urban parks -- that have one thread in common. They…
