In this issue

THE RIVER THAT WAS - The dying Cauvery trail, Can a ban on housing projects tackle water crisis?, The state of India’s defaced river basins, Tardy transborder communication adds to Bihar floods

One Tool To Track It All

Can the humongous online data generated in the job guarantee scheme be a real time index for rural distress?

4 mins

Let Cauvery Be

Deforestation, urbanisation, illegal mining and dumping of effluents along the river has left the basin battered and bruised. Decades of degradation has led to an unprecedented crisis for the 15 million who live on its banks.Jitendra travels along the course of one of India’s biggest rivers to understand why its level hit a record low this year

10 mins

Capital Conundrum

At the peak of Karnataka’s water crisis, the state’s deputy chief minister, G Parameshwara, made a desperate suggestion. He said the government was mulling over a moratorium on the construction of new residential complexes in Bengaluru for five years to tide over the water crisis. But are restrictions on construction or population an effective way to resolve the problem? Or are there simpler ways to strengthen water conservation? SUSHMITA SENGUPTA spoke to a range of experts

6 mins

Nowhere To Flow

Over 60 years after the country got its first plan to rejuvenate the rivers, not a single basin has been spared from over-exploitation

7 mins

Time To Talk

Gap in communication between India and neighbouring Nepal is an endemic problem that worsens Bihar floods

4 mins

Here Come The Gene Hackers

Interventions to make heritable changes to the human genome are fraught with uncertainties. There are legitimate concerns about using a still imperfect technology that can rewrite the very blueprint of life. Also, the debate on whether it’s ethical to do so is far from being settled. However, would-be baby tinkerers around the world have failed to get the message

10 mins

Mumbai Coastal Road Project - An Ecological Disaster

The US $1.7 billion mumbai coastal road to be built by reclaiming the inter-tidal Western Coast is an ecological and livelihood disaster in the making. Here’s why

3 mins

Miniature Brinjals From The Northeast

Quite common in the northeast, these miniature brinjals can be cooked in a myriad ways

2 mins

Read all stories from Down To Earth

Down To Earth Magazine Description:

Down To Earth is a fortnightly magazine published by the Society for Environmental Comm, a non-profit research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi, India. It is one of the most respected environmental magazines in the country.

The magazine covers a wide range of topics related to the environment and sustainable development, including:

* Climate change: DTE provides in-depth coverage of climate change, including its causes, impacts, and mitigation and adaptation strategies.
* Energy: DTE covers a variety of energy topics, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and fossil fuels.
* Water: DTE covers a variety of water topics, including water pollution, water scarcity, and water management.
* Pollution: DTE covers a variety of pollution topics, including air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution.
* Biodiversity: DTE covers a variety of biodiversity topics, including forests, wildlife, and conservation.
* Sustainable development: DTE covers a variety of sustainable development topics, including green economy, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable transportation.

Down To Earth magazine is known for its high-quality journalism and its commitment to environmental protection. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the environment and sustainable development in India and around the world.