Himachal Pradesh is introducing Australian Merino sheep in its hills to ‘enhance’ its wool economy. But at what cost?
In Himachal Pradesh, a wool development programme has been underway since 2021, with a target of achieving 3,000 tonnes of wool production by 2027. Initiated under the National Livelihood Mission at a cost of Rs 6 crore, the programme began with the importation of Merino sheep from Australia, known for their fine-quality wool and high […]
More than weeds: Why herbicide-tolerant mustard doesn’t fit Indian farms
India’s long-delayed transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11, engineered for herbicide tolerance, is being pushed as a solution to low yields and rising edible oil imports. But critics argue HT mustard clashes with India’s smallholder, mixed-cropping systems, threatens non-crop biodiversity, pollinators and nutrition sources, and deepens dependence on costly chemical inputs despite official promotion of low-input farming.
“Thukpa is what people reach for when they are sick, or cold, or missing something they cannot name”
It profiles Passang Dolma, who runs Dear Cafe in Dhondenling, the Tibetan settlement near the Biligiriranga Hills, and traces how thukpa has adapted to local sourcing (beef instead of yak, celery and peppers from nearby villages, no chhurpi) and to a tourist-driven food economy.
Increasing numbers of the Indian peafowl worry farmers [Commentary]
The Indian peafowl, the national bird of the country, is a cultural icon and is protected by wildlife laws. However, in the eastern Himalayas, the bird also causes significant agricultural damage, exacerbating tensions in communities reliant on subsistence farming. Conservation cannot succeed by celebrating wildlife while overlooking the burdens borne by those who live alongside […]
The collateral damage of Bengaluru’s war on waste
The sounds of an earthmover and an incessant alarm call from a pair of tailorbirds shook the Sunday morning stillness. The owner of the neighbouring vacant plot had engaged someone to clear the land. Half an hour later, there was smoke – all the vegetation and garbage had been piled up and set on fire. […]
Campus green spaces as refuges for biodiversity in the rapidly urbanising Himalayan landscape
As the urban Himalayan town expands into forests and nearby agricultural land, much of the region’s biodiversity is now confined to small and fragmented green spaces within urban areas. These patches, although small, provide essential ecosystem services to the citizens, support regional biodiversity and regulate local climate. Among these spaces, college and school campuses stand […]
Takes Two to Tango
While government records boast large numbers of recognised “community rights” titles, the reality on the ground tells a different story. For the FRA to truly succeed, what is required is a hybrid approach, one that blends community-led legitimacy with administrative support and clear timelines.
Grasslands: The Hidden Life
The article explores the microbial diversity across India’s main grassland ecosystems, ranging from the Banni and Terai to the Alpine Bugyals and Shola grasslands, urging visualization of soil health as connected to the global “One Health” framework.
The FRA promise
Two decades after the Forest Rights Act became law, the record is uneven. While the law offers a democratic framework for forest governance, its transformative potential is unrealised due to weak implementation and resistance from bureaucrats
The governance, rights face-off
Between paper and forest floor, an entrenched bureaucracy, aided by an indifferent political class, has managed to subvert the FRA’s most radical promise of genuinely democratic, grassroots governance of forests.
