Pine for prudence
THE WEEK India|July 03, 2022
Forest fires are ravaging Uttarakhand. The crisis calls for policies based on a proper understanding of science
PUJA AWASTHI
Pine for prudence

PERSISTENT AND PERSISTENTLY misunderstood. That, in a nutshell, is the story of forest fires in Uttarakhand.

Fires break out each year between March and mid-June, before the onset of the monsoon. They spawn headlines like ‘Forest fires rage across Uttarakhand’ and ‘State loses hundreds of hectares of green cover in 24 hours’. Hyperbole, misinformation and poorly explained science paint a picture of roaring fires devouring trees and animals, and destroying property and livelihoods. The forest fires of Uttarakhand are nothing of the kind, though. For starters, they are not ‘crown fires’, which spread to the top of the trees.

They are, in fact, ground fires that feed on fallen pine needles. Mostly man-made, the fires are aided by high temperatures and winds.

The number of forest fires varies every year. In 2002, there were 1,401 such incidents. In 2016, the figure went up to 12,958, and then fell to 2,158 in 2019. As of June 2022, there have been 2,131 forest fires, affecting more than 3,348 hectares and causing a loss of 87.31 lakh. Uttarakhand has a forest cover of 53.48 lakh hectares.

Periodic fires are needed to maintain ecological balance and lower the possibility of larger, uncontrolled fires. But what makes recurring fires a matter of concern is that it produces black carbon—sooty material that not just pollutes the atmosphere, but warms it as well, leading to the melting of Himalayan glaciers.

Denne historien er fra July 03, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July 03, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEK INDIASe alt
William Dalrymple goes further back
THE WEEK India

William Dalrymple goes further back

Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
The bleat from the street
THE WEEK India

The bleat from the street

What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Courage and conviction
THE WEEK India

Courage and conviction

Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
EPIC ENTERPRISE
THE WEEK India

EPIC ENTERPRISE

Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus

time-read
4 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Upgrade your jeans
THE WEEK India

Upgrade your jeans

If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Garden by the sea
THE WEEK India

Garden by the sea

When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus

time-read
4 mins  |
November 17, 2024
RECRUITERS SPEAK
THE WEEK India

RECRUITERS SPEAK

Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
MORAL COMPASS
THE WEEK India

MORAL COMPASS

The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape

time-read
5 mins  |
November 17, 2024
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
THE WEEK India

B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH

INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
COURSE CORRECTION
THE WEEK India

COURSE CORRECTION

India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI

time-read
8 mins  |
November 17, 2024