Environment

This article is supported by SVP Cities of India Fellowship In the last few years, have you found yourself perspiring more than usual, while walking in core areas of Bengaluru city like Kalasipalaya?  Well, it's not just you. These are effects of the ‘urban heat island’ becoming more commonplace in the ‘Garden City’. This graphic by Raj Bhagath Palanichamy, a researcher at the World Resources Institute (WRI), as part of the City Water Assessment Tool, shows temperature ranges in core Bengaluru. Neighbourhoods like Jayanagar (the green section in the top left of the image) and Basavangudi are facing less exposure…

The results of the pan-India waste and brand audit was revealed by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific in New Delhi on the eve of World Environment Day. The findings from the audit are based on samples gathered from 15 cities with the help of partner organisations. While a detailed report is due in a few weeks, the abridged version provides a concise view of the results and the recommendations put forth based on them. As per the report, the top most polluting international brands across India are: PepsiCo, with over 20 products in the food and…

World Environment Day is here, with the theme Beat Plastic Pollution for 2018. Why do we need to beat plastic pollution? What is plastic pollution? Why is it harmful? What do you know about plastic? Test your knowledge by answering this quiz! You have to say either Yes, or No. You'll score 1 mark for each right answer. 16-20 - Excellent 10-16 - Average 5-10 - Poor <5 - Fail Loading...

Will Indian cities heed a global wake-up call at least now? This year’s air pollution list is unprecedented, with 14 Indian cities ranked as the most contaminated among the top 15 international urban centres in the WHO database comprising 4,300 hotspots. Kanpur tops the list with the highest concentration of PM 2.5, according to information from the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is followed by Faridabad, Varanasi, Gaya, Patna, Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur. PM2.5 refers to fine inhale-able particle pollutants that have diameters of 2.5 micrometres or smaller. These are comprised of microscopic solids or liquid droplets…

Amid incessant protests by the fishermen community against the draft Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Plan (TNCZMP), the state government had organised a public hearing a month ago.  The hearing, which was organised at Chennai Port during the last week of April was nothing but a waste of taxpayers' money, say environmentalists.  What is CZMP The Government of India has issued a direction to all the coastal states and union territories to prepare a plan for protection of zones with rich marine biodiversity, from developmental activities. The plan should be drafted, based on the rules prescribed in the Coastal Regulatory…

As a lead-up to World Environment Day on June 5, environmental justice  groups and citizens  are launching  an unprecedented coordinated waste  and brand audits in key cities in India. Scheduled from May 16 to May 30 in the cities of Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru along with various cities in Goa, Kerala, and 12 Himalayan States, the audits seek to highlight the role of corporations in the global plastic waste crisis, results of which will be published on 4th June. “Through these audits, we want to put the spotlight on corporations who have been responsible for the manufacturing, distribution, and proliferation of…

On our way back from our nature/birding outing, I suddenly caught sight of a beetle and a snail, on a tiny twig. Seeing these two together isn't very common, so I decided to photograph the scene. I then realized that what was going on was an attack, and a major war! The beetle, like all ground beetles, likes a snail diet, and was attacking this one. This was an amazing drama that we watched for a while. The beetle was attacking the snail, which produced the froth in self-defence. Whenever the beetle approached the snail, it would get caught in…

With every year in the 21st century getting hotter than the previous, the question arises if Indian cities are geared up to face the severe summers that loom large. Heat waves across the country have turned out to be silent killers. According to one report from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), heat wave casualties are increasing every year and India was worst hit by heat waves in 2015, causing 2300 deaths, making it the fifth highest in world history in terms of number of deaths. But the numbers often go unnoticed. Most of the deaths were concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana,…

Runners Manifesto A demand from the runners in Bengaluru to the contestants in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Elections 2018 Our Vision General physical and mental well being of citizens Green lung space Reduction in pollution Safe space for commute by walking/cycling Urban commons for community engagement Better standards of liveability. With the right infrastructure for runners, multiple objectives are achieved for the city. The city of runners Bengaluru is not only known as the Silicon Valley of India but is also the running capital of the country. Year long salubrious climate and convergence of various expats has brought the love…

Where? As the sun  began to descend, the already buzzing Koyambedu market road came alive with more action as hundreds of people assembled at a local hotel for the Sakkadai Thiruvizha, organised by Arappor Iyakkam. The event on April 8th was envisioned as a citizen awareness program to highlight the problem of untreated sewage that is being continuously let out into the city’s water bodies, spelling doom for them as well as for the entire ecosystem. The highlight Officials from Chennai Corporation, PWD and CMWSSB  came together on a single platform to listen to the woes of the people. It…