-Down to Earth Encroachment of pastureland was possible because government doesn't recognise them as village commons, say locals Some Indian states saw a string of protests over the last couple of months against renewable energy projects on village land, even as the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was raging in the country. On July 6, 2021, police officials lathi charged locals participating in a dharna against plans to lay electricity lines across pasturelands...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Will Afghanistan’s centuries-old ‘Karez’ system of irrigation survive the Taliban -Rajat Ghai
-Down to Earth The Taliban are set to overtake Kabul; but an expert believes they will spare the age-old Karez system of underground aqueducts in the country given its importance The resurgent Taliban is on the victory march to Kabul. It has already taken provincial capitals as well as Afghanistan’s third-largest city of Herat. As the Taliban appear at the gates of Kabul again after two decades, fears have grown about what...
More »Why flooding raises alarm over bearing of hydropower plants on the Himalayas -Jasleen Bhatti
-Down to Earth The need of the hour is to put halt large hydel-power projects in the Himalayas. Can small hydropower plants offer a sustainable solution? Hydropower is a renewable and non-polluting source of energy. India has an economically exploitable and viable hydropower potential, which is estimated to be about 84,000 megawatt at 60 per cent load factor. It has an installed capacity of 148,701 MW, according to the National Hydroelectric Power...
More »Forced eviction of Khori Gaon residents amidst the pandemic is human rights violation, allege civil rights activists
-Press release by National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) dated 22 July, 2021 A report has been prepared by National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) on the basis of a public hearing on the forced evictions of Khori Gaon residents in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic and monsoon. Held on July 17, 2021, the public hearing was organised by the Concerned Citizens for Khori Gaon and National Alliance of People’s Movements...
More »India must halt mass eviction that threatens to leave 100,000 homeless – UN experts
-Press release by United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner GENEVA (16 July 2021): UN human rights experts* today called on India to halt evictions of some 100,000 people – including 20,000 children – that began this week in the midst of monsoon rains. Demolition of homes began on Wednesday, 14 July, in a village in Haryana State built on protected forest land, even though the forest was actually destroyed...
More »