Puneet A

The recent decision of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to uphold the environmental clearance for the Rs 80,000-crore Great Nicobar infrastructure project marks a pivotal moment in India’s environmental governance. The Tribunal stated that it found no “good ground” to interfere with the clearance, noted the project’s strategic importance, and emphasised that the safeguards attached

I vividly remember my first encounter with the great Indian bustard. It was on the outskirts of Bikaner in 2000. I was a young researcher, roaming the scrublands with more curiosity than knowledge. On one such outing accompanied by a few other researchers, I experienced a “not-seen-before” moment. The bird emerged first as an unidentifiable

In the stark, wind-swept landscapes of the Tibetan and Trans-Himalayan plateau, a haunting, resonant call rises over the marshes each summer. It belongs to the black-necked crane, one of the region’s most iconic birds. Standing nearly 1.4 metres tall, the crane cuts a striking figure: a largely whitish-grey body contrasted by a jet-black head and

Just 35 kilometres from Tirupati lies the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, home to the world’s largest natural reserve of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus), one of Asia’s most smuggled timber species. Despite protection under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, illegal logging continues, driven by international demand and enabled by heavy pilgrimage traffic, porous forest routes, and organised smuggling

Two new-to-science ant species have been identified from Andhra Pradesh in the Eastern Ghats. Belonging to the genus Aenictus, they are false army ants. That may sound like an insult, but this genus is called false army ants because of their size — smaller than true army ants while behaving like one. They move their

NGT directs Suav’s status be changed from ‘nullah’ to ‘river’ in official records Orders publication of correction in gazette and local newspapers Bars new construction in demarcated floodplain zones Calls for monitoring of STPs and industrial effluents Warns non-compliance is punishable under NGT Act The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Uttar Pradesh government