Environment
Cultivating an ecological consciousness
Shunya, a permaculture farm that started over a decade ago, in Himachal’s Bir village embodies the vision of regenerative farming. Transitioning through many hands, it is now being cared for by farmer Jeewika Bhat and her initiative ‘Seeds and Deeds’, which aims to take it a step further.
UP environmentalist walks the talk to save river, trees
Sundaram Tiwari from Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh district has worked to restore the Sai river by planting about 2 lakh trees, inspiring lakhs of people by walking thousands of kilometres across the country.
She’s a lifeline for Meghalaya’s endangered western hoolock gibbons
Betsida Marak, an educator in her late 30s, works to save the western hoolock gibbons, a primate that is found in the north eastern states of India. Her efforts, including teaching wildlife conservation to kids through stories rooted in Garo folklore, are making a difference.
Coming up, a food forest in Himachal’s Kangra
Picture a food forest-cum-botanical garden where you can buy seeds of native plants as well as taste the produce. This is what Attune, an upcoming project in Himachal’s Kangra, seeks to offer.
Uttarakhand priest blends faith and foliage to reforest Himalayas
Beyond his spiritual duties 33-year-old priest Ankit Dhyani of Devprayag is on a mission to reforest the Himalayan mountains and foothills ravaged by deforestation and fires through his grassroots initiative, GoGreenIndia.
Herbal healer leads biodiversity revival in Odisha’s Koraput district
In the green hills of Deomali, Hari Pangi’s mission to plant healing trees shows that with a deep connection to the past and a commitment to the future, one person can inspire change on a grand scale.
Guarding Garuda: Man Who Saved Greater Adjutant Stork in Bihar
Led by conservationist Arvind Mishra, community-driven efforts in Bhagalpur have revived the population of the critically endangered greater adjutant stork, locally called garuda, increasing their numbers from 78 birds in 2007 to over 600 today.
Manyachiwadi becomes Maharashtra’s first solar-powered village
With over 100 rooftop solar panels, Manyachiwadi village in Maharashtra’s Satara district has become the state's first to run entirely on solar power, enjoying uninterrupted electricity and standing as a shining example of clean energy transformation.
Howrah’s fight for its wilderness
A passionate group of environmentalists come together to save the biodiversity of Howrah district in West Bengal.
The big success story of Indian rhino conservation
This World Rhino Day, Village Square takes stock of all the conservation efforts being made for the sake of the Indian rhinoceros, one of the oldest mammals to walk the earth.
Rising human-wildlife conflicts distress Kashmir villagers
As urbanisation and deforestation encroach on natural habitats, wild animals are coming in closer contact with humans. Villagers in Kashmir, many of whom depend on farming and orchard work, are finding themselves particularly vulnerable to these encounters.
Water revolution – Natural fibre tanks provide a low-cost storage solution
Innovative water tanks made from coconut, banana and flax fibre can transform water storage issues in drought-prone villages. The solution, developed by Jalvardhini, an NGO, and RuTAG IIT-Bombay, uses materials that are easily available and environmentally sustainable.
Coastal erosion takes its toll on this Odisha village
As the thriving coastal community with 200 families has been forced to abandon their houses and leave the village because of sea erosion, Podampetta in Odisha’s Ganjam district appears like a ghost village.
AI-based alerts help prevent elephant collisions against trains
As forest cover decreases and human-animal interactions increase, especially on railway tracks, railway and forest officials are turning to surveillance and alert systems based on artificial intelligence as a solution.
26-year-old Puri youth leads Odisha’s green revolution
Soumya Ranjan Biswal, the 26-year-old founder of Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Aviyan, has mobilised local communities to protect ecosystems, promote mangrove restoration and Olive Ridley turtle conservation, and organise events to combat sea pollution.
Farmers’ dilemma: How cooperation can address water security
In India's dry regions, farmers face a tough choice – work together on crops or risk losing everything. Cooperation is the key for farm prosperity given serious water shortages in these areas.
Kerala farmers prefer local plants over fences to ward off tuskers
Even as the Kerala government installs and plans more beehive fences to curb human-animal interactions, villagers in Attappadi taluk say that a local bean crop is more effective than the fences.
Flood-resistant houses provide sanctuary to Kerala villagers
Project Bhoomika, a social initiative to provide homes for those affected by the floods in Kerala’s Alappuzha district, enables residents to feel safe during the state’s torrential monsoon.
How one woman became the water guardian of a Gujarat village
Payal Ben Vikram Bhai Patel, a ‘bhujal jankar’ in Bhunav, Gujarat, is transforming her village through grassroots water conservation efforts. Overcoming challenges, she educates and empowers her community to secure a sustainable water future.
Hanging solar fences mitigate human-elephant conflicts in Kerala
As traditional methods of beating drums, digging trenches and building concrete walls proved ineffective in reducing human-animal interactions, Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department has installed hanging solar fences that deter elephants from entering villages.