THE TOP 20% of high-expenditure households in India are responsible for seven times the emissions traceable to the poor who spend less than Rs 140 a day. The mean carbon footprint of every Indian was estimated at 0.56 tonne per year--0.19 tonne per capita among the poor and 1.32 tonne among the rich. Food and electricity are the two areas of spending that account for most emissions in India across socio-economic groups while western India emits the most carbon

Government claims the new farm laws will open up the agriculture market and help farmers get better remunerations for their produce. The protesting farmers, on the other hand, point out that they won't be in a position to negotiate with private companies in absence of a regulatory mechanism and oversight of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC). The new laws allow traders to bypass government mandis but don't mention any regulatory mechanism or authority to monitor such transactions or agreements

India woke up to the determination of Punjab's farmers on November 26 when national television started relaying images of the long march to Delhi border. But the movement had been gathering pace since September 25 when the 31 farmers' unions first came together to sit in protest on national highways, railway lines and major corporate outlets. From November 26 onwards, they took the protest to Delhi galvanising support from other states and sections of society

Making higher education accessible to all has been a challenge for India due to high drop out rates at school level, lack of infrastructure and funds. The New Education Policy (NEP) proposes an overhaul of the higher education set up. It promises lot of radical changes but experts worry that this may lead to further rise in privatisation, loss of institutional autonomy and higher drop out rates at school level

India’s camel population has declined by 37 percent over the last seven years because it’s no longer needed for transport or farming. Camel milk, found to be a healthier option for people with diabetes and those with food allergies, can be the source of sustenance for camel rearers. Several small dairies and Amul are selling camel milk and its products to city clientele, but low awareness, lack of bulk milk coolers and shrinking pastures for grazing are the limitations that need to be addressed for this dairy segment to flourish

Besides heavy rainfall, human activities such as construction of roads, buildings and railways, mining and quarrying, and hydropower projects damage hilly slopes and impact natural drainage by removing soil and vegetation, loosening soil and gravel and making the hills more susceptible to landslides. In India, 420,000 sq km, or 12.6% of the total land, is landslide prone. Last year, 264 people died in landslides and over 65% of these fatalities happened in the Himalayas and the Western Ghats

Uranium is a vital mineral for India’s ambitious nuclear power programme. Out of the seven states with uranium reserves, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have currently operating mines. In Jharkhand’s Jaduguda region, which has India’s oldest uranium mines, local communities narrate stories of suffering due to degrading health and the environment. The government, however, denies any ill-impact of uranium mining on people. The Indian government is aiming to increase uranium exploration and mining. This photo essay features images of residents of villages around uranium mines

Sexual interactions run contrary to physical distancing norms required to avoid contracting coronavirus thus unconditionally stalling source of livelihood of sex workers. In India, sex work is criminalised and stigmatised putting these workers in the most vulnerable category, thus left behind in response to the pandemic by the government. They lack documents and bank accounts to avail of social welfare schemes and are also denied medical facilities

Environmental Impact Assessment sets in place a legal framework for regulating activities that impact the natural resources and people. Many environmental activists call the draft detrimental towards protecting the already deteriorating environment. The draft allows a freer reign to industrial projects while limiting public consent and interference. Some of the major changes include post facto clearance which means industries can start projects and get environmental clearances later, reduction in minimum notice period for public hearing and no scope for public complaint about violations