Puneet A

“At the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in July, we were told to plant more sesame, groundnut and urad. These are crops expected to withstand less rain. But God decided to flood our fields instead,” shares Jaidevi, a farmer in Chandpura, a village in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, pointing to her withered sesame crop. Jaidevi and her husband

Jammu and Kashmir: An applicant challenged pollution control board reports on Manasbal wetland, alleging inadequate assessment of untreated sewage, solid waste and water contamination. Bikaner, Rajasthan: The NGT directed action against polluting industrial units in Khara, where 21 units received closure notices and 121 residents reported respiratory symptoms during a health survey. Jaipur, Rajasthan: The

Cyclone Arnab has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28. Coastal Andhra Pradesh faces extremely heavy rainfall and winds of 115–125 km/h, with gusts reaching 140 km/h. Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh are also on alert for heavy

Nepal, which suffered a catastrophic debris flow and flash flood on August 26, is slated to receive $21.6 million from the United Nations’ Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). The decision to “provisionally” release the funds was finalised during an “extraordinary meeting” convened by the Fund’s board on October 22. Nepal will still

Nearly all shallow-water coral reef ecosystems face a critical risk of collapse by 2075, with 96% assessed reefs classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ according to the IUCN’s global assessment. Climate change-induced heat stress, overfishing and pollution are driving this decline. Targeted conservation efforts and ambitious climate action could still reverse the trend. The first global coral

Spanning India and Bangladesh, with India comprising 40% of its area, a vast and ever-shifting mangrove forest stretches across the Bay of Bengal. This vast delta derives its name from the Sundari (Heritiera fomes), the tall mangrove species that flourishes here in abundance. The name “Sundarbans” is a modern rendering of “Sunderbunds,” a term coined

The Bombay High Court directed a total ban on bursting firecrackers on public streets and roads during festivals, citing concerns over rising noise and air pollution. The court also ordered strict enforcement in silence zones near hospitals, schools, courts and government offices, along with public awareness campaigns and dedicated complaint mechanisms. The directions came amid

Zimbabwe’s push for digital payments with the ZiG, a gold-backed currency, aims to enhance trust and usability. However, success hinges on public confidence, institutional control, and voluntary adoption. Lessons from Cambodia and Namibia show that while technology can improve convenience, trust in the currency must be built through credible monetary policies and transparent systems. Zimbabwe’s