-TheWire.in The rise and fall of the biggest importers of edible oil in the world. ‘Freedom is the greatest fruit of self-sufficiency’ – Epicurus The COVID-19 pandemic has been detrimental for globalisation and has led to a clamour for protectionism. India’s national strategy is also in line with this trend with calls for ‘Atmanirbharta’ and ‘vocal for local’ increasing. Traditionally, India was an exporter of edible oil before Independence, became self-sufficient post-Independence (till the early 1970s),...

-Down to Earth Sharad Chandra, director, flood forecast monitoring division, Central Water Commission, spoke to DTE on increasing instances of urban flooding   Urban flooding is increasingly becoming a common occurrence in India, the latest victim being Hyderabad. The city received unusually heavy rainfall October 13-14, 2020, due to a deep depression that developed in the Bay of Bengal. Heavy damage to property, Roads and human lives were reported. Experts have argued that...

-The Indian Express The Punjab government claims that if the earnings of these boards are stopped, the state will find it difficult to maintain over 31,000-km of rural link Roads as well as farmers’ welfare schemes, including the debt relief scheme. Jalandhar: The implementation of Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, which removes restrictions on farmers selling agri-produce outside the notified Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) yards, has not...

-The Hindu Delhi Chalo protest on Nov 26, 27 could draw thousands of farmers to capital Over 500 farmers groups plan to block Roads across the country on November 5, as part of an all-India “chakka jam”, the next step in their protests against the three controversial farm reform laws passed by Parliament last month. The groups, which include several major federations such as the Bharatiya Kisan Union and the All India Kisan...

-Down to Earth The time to put off the inevitable question about human relationship to nature is long past. Our assumption that we can control and modify nature without repercussions is a fallacy Lofty mountains that touch the azure skies, gentle hills clothed in dense tropical forests and evergreen valleys — the Western Ghats nurture a variety of ecosystems not found in any other part of the world. Spread over 164,280 square kilometres,...