Sacred Groves – the Indic sanctuaries
Sacred groves are small patches of primeval forest or stands of trees that are reserved exclusively for a deity, a critical indigenous ecological tradition in the realm of environmentalism. They hold special religious and spiritual significance to the people and
Of panels and politics – An unfinished battle for the Western Ghats II
The previous piece briefly discussed the resistance that the Gadgil report had faced then and that it continues to even now, from various quarters. Continuing from there, in this piece we discuss the politics around the Western Ghats (WG) reports,
Of panels and politics – An unfinished battle for the Western Ghats
Older than the Himalayas, the Western Ghats covers an area of around 140,000 km² in a 1600 kms stretch that runs parallel to the west coast of India traversing magnificently through six states from Gujarat to southern Kerala, creating some
The old man and the river
The passing away of Sunderlal Bahuguna is the departure of one of the last remaining stalwarts battling for environment conservation employing Indic knowledge and practices. Born in 1927, in a small village on the banks of the River Bhagirathi in
“New Commission for Air Quality Management or EPCA 2.0?” – Part II
The previous piece had discussed the lack of novelty in Union Government’s approach in constituting a new Super-Commission meant to tackle Delhi-NCR’s air pollution issues, namely the ‘Commission for Air Quality Management’ (CAQM). Now add to that, the serious lack
“New Commission for Air Quality Management or EPCA 2.0?” – Part I
Delhi NCR is infamous for its winter season owing to the ominous presence of the worst smog globally. The conditions do not seem to improve despite the critical festival season and the stubble burning season having passed. This has been
Diwali and other Hindu Festivals in times of COVID
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 9th November passed an order directing a ban on the sale and use of firecrackers in the NCR as well as in other districts where air quality ranges from ‘poor to severe’ until 30th
The Char Dham Highway Project and Tourism Development in Uttarakhand
The Supreme Court on September 8, directed the Union Government of India to conform with the March 2018 circular of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) while hearing a petition against the  'Char Dham Highway Project' (CDP) -
Sanjeevani: Reviving Indic Environmentalism
This article discusses the nexus between Indic faith systems and environmental ethics, in particular the models of pre-historic Indic environmentalism categorised on the basis of adherence to and practice of Indic scriptures. It also sheds light briefly on the marginalisation