Environmental Studies

India is the world’s second most polluted country. Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) in comparison to WHO guidelines shortens an average Indian’s life expectancy by 5.3 years. Records show that in 2019 over 1.6 million deaths were attributed to poor air quality. This ranged from strokes, diabetes, lung cancer and …

Concerned over the unprecedented situation triggered by increasing air pollution in Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining the need for evolving consensus on tackling the issue, rising above political affiliations and regional considerations. Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/evolve-consensus-on-tackling-air-pollution/article29867884.ece

Change could not have happened without an exercise some biologists call “extreme conservation”, which has entailed monitoring every single ape in the rainforest Deep in the rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, a 23-year-old female gorilla named Kurudi feeds on a strand of wild celery. She bends the green stalks and, …

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Tuesday and remained one notch short of the ‘severe’ category (AQI 401), the worst for this season so far. The Air Quality Index on Tuesday was recorded at 400, ‘very poor’ category, at 4 p.m., which is the average of the past 24 hours, …

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) pointed to ‘patent non-compliance in critical areas’ by the State and its authorities in matters relating to the highly polluted Bellandur, Agara and Varthur lakes in the city. During a recent hearing, the NGT’s Principal Bench, referring to the report submitted by the NGT-appointed committee …

Less than 965 km from the North Pole, mercury rose to 21 degrees Celsius in Alert Temperatures hit a record 21 degree Celsius in Alert, the northernmost permanently inhabited spot on the planet less than 965 km from the North Pole, the Canadian meteorology service said on Tuesday. “It’s quite …

This is far above the national average of 61% Karnataka’s decline in groundwater levels is the worst among comparable States this year with over 80% of monitored wells in the State showing a drop in groundwater levels, says data from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB). The board monitors 1,098 …

Orchids of India: A Pictorial Guide, which was published recently, puts the total number of species endemic to India at 388 The Botanical Survey of India has come up with the first comprehensive census of orchids of India putting the total number of orchid species or taxa to 1,256. Orchids …

Punishment for murder attempt A 32-year-old doctor has been ordered by the Supreme Court to plant 100 trees in the next one year as punishment for attempting to commit murder at the age of 16. Solemen S.K., a doctor practising at Murshidabad in West Bengal, was sentenced to three years’ …

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had raised the issue in Parliament on July 11 Restricting the speeds of vessels and blowing sirens and horns is how the Ministry of Shipping plans to safeguard the population of the Ganges River Dolphin, in the country’s one dolphin reserve through which National Waterway-1 connecting …

Funds set aside under a 2010 action plan for resolving sanitation and drinking water issues were allegedly misappropriated by the State’s rehabilitation wing It’s 2 a.m., and the stench of sewage wafts in through the only window of Aziza Jawahar’s crumbling house. Taking the cue that she is now long …

The rare reptiles were living in a tiny pool with a concrete base not conducive for nesting Five species of rare turtles crammed in a small pool and fountain within the complex of a Shiva temple in central Assam’s Nagaon have been rehabilitated in a wildlife sanctuary about 45 km …

Food park plan on Assam jumbo corridor shelved The plan for a mega food park in Assam’s Soniptur district has been shelved after a team of wildlife experts found 50% of its area encroaching a major elephant corridor and setting it up would severely disturb their movement. The survey and …

Amplifying system imitating buzz earns NFR award Plan Bee, an amplifying system imitating the buzz of a swarm of honey bees to keep wild elephants away from railway tracks, on Tuesday earned the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) the best innovation award in Indian Railways for the 2018-19 fiscal. The first …

India and China are leading the global greening effort, a finding that is quite contrary to the general perception worldwide, a study based on NASA satellite data has said, observing that the world is a greener place than it was 20 years ago. “China and India account for one-third of …

Exhorting all government wings concerned to make concerted efforts for wildlife conservation, Telangana High Court on Thursday passed a slew of directions including removal of all unauthorised power lines in Kawal Tiger Reserve which is spread over northern parts of the State. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. …

Rising temperatures could drive some species to become sterile, making them succumb to the effects of climate change earlier than thought, says a study published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution . Researchers are trying to predict the places where species will be lost, so that suitable reserves could be …

Study analysed link between population density and emissions from vehicles across the districts in the country Urbanisation is accelerating greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles in India at a faster than in China. On an average, an Indian emitted about 20 kg per capita while commuting for work, with the highest …

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in Mysuru has successfully translocated 52 spotted deer that were in surplus in its collection to Arabithittu wildlife sanctuary near here and all the animals were said to have accustom-ed to the new habitat. Source :  https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/52-surplus-deer-moved-to-arabithittu-forests/article26171780.ece

Though the drop in temperature levels to a single digit pushes up the tourist footfall in the Agency of Visakhapatnam district, it proves to be a bane for the tribal people and they prefer to stay indoors due to the biting cold.Eight of 10 mandals in the Agency area have …