WHEN PRIME Minister Narendra Modi announced on June 10 that India’s Asiatic lion population recorded a historic increase of 151 in the past five years, he hid a worrying fact. The country has lost 92 Asiatic lions since January 2020 and nearly 40 per cent have died in May alone. The omission of the information seems deliberate as the death figures are from a Centre-appointed committee which had submitted its findings just days before the prime minister’s statement. Even the historic increase claim is not completely correct as the new numbers are based on a routine monthly assessment carried out by officials of the Gir Reserve Forest in Gujarat, whereas the population figures of 2015 are based on the 14th Asiatic lion population estimation, which happens once every five years. In fact, as Modi made the tall claim, the Press Information Bureau (pib) released a statement saying the 15th Asiatic lion population estimation, scheduled for June 5-6, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Esta historia es de la edición July 01, 2020 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
