-Down to Earth Lack of planning, introduction of hybrid seeds, chemical fertilisers, insecticides and weed killers are responsible for decline in pulses’ cultivation Pulses have an important place in our culture. But with imports increasing every day, they are getting too expensive for the poor. As a result, malnutrition is increasing. It is not that farmers do not grow pulses here due to lack of seeds and knowledge, but there is a lack...

-Scroll.in With growing evidence on the transboundary nature of climate risks, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive regional risk governance framework. In the space of three months in early 2021, two glacial lakes in Uttarakhand burst their banks, with tragic consequences for mountain communities and ecosystems. In February, a glacier lake breach caused flash floods that surged through the Rishiganga River. At least 61 people were killed and around 143...

-TheWire.in It has been proven time and again that large 'development' projects, involving the blasting of fragile hills and constraining the flow of rivers, cause huge loss of lives and livelihoods in the Himalayan Region. Two big landslides in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh which made national headlines have re-emphasised the need for ecologically protective development in geologically fragile and vulnerable hills. On August 11, a massive landslide on National Highway 5,...

-The Hindu In a State where hydro power projects, dams and construction activities are increasing, landslides too are becoming common. Vikas Vasudeva reports on the benefits of the projects and the concerns of the people in a fragile Himalayan Region It was a relatively warm monsoon afternoon on July 25 when Arjun Devi, 65, was sitting outside her house, legs stretched out. Her house is located in the middle of an apple...

-Article-14.com After tourists grabbed 50% of Covid-19 vaccine slots in Lahaul and Spiti, a region with little Internet connectivity, district officials used Google forms, WhatsApp and paper to book appointments. With no more than 5.1% of Indians fully vaccinated, this approach could help 200 million Indians in rural, remote areas—if vaccines are available. Lahaul & Spiti (Himachal Pradesh): Among those vaccinated when vaccines were made available in this remote Himalayan district was...