A SMOKE MUSHROOM hangs over Assam’s Dibru- Saikhowa National Park. A gas well on the edge of the park that had been billowing methane and crude oil uncontrollably for the past two weeks caught fire in the afternoon of June 9. Within hours, the inferno spread to over a kilometre forcing residents of nearby villages to run for their lives. Four people have been injured and about 50 houses burnt as the fire continues to rage. The smoke will cause severe and long-term damage to the ecology of the world’s only riverine island wildlife reserve and the Brahmaputra, Lohit and Dibru rivers that surround it (see ‘What’s at risk’ on p19).
The fire broke out “while clearing operations were on”, says a June 9 press release by Oil India Limited (OIL), the public sector company that operates the well located in Baghjan village of Tinsukia district. The company undertakes oil and gas extraction and exploratory operations in 23 wells around Baghjan (see ‘A question of priority’ on p19).
Denne historien er fra June 16, 2020-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra June 16, 2020-utgaven av 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
