Category: Geography & Environment

Eighteen people were confirmed dead in one of the worst illegal coal mining accidents in Meghalaya, at Thangsko in East Jaintia Hills district. The incident occurred inside an illegal “box-cutting” coal mine, where miners descend deep vertical shafts and dig horizontally using rudimentary tools. Reports indicate that explosives were used to blast coal seams, a … Continue reading Illegal Coal Mining Tragedy in Meghalaya

A landslide at a major coltan mining site in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has caused the collapse of several mines, killing at least 200 people. Coltan is a critical ore containing tantalum, an essential metal used in smartphones, computers, and aircraft engines, making Congo strategically important in global supply chains. According to the … Continue reading Coltan Mining Tragedy in Congo

The Indian bison, locally known as Lamsan, has been photographed for the first time through camera traps in Kamjong district of Manipur. The rare record was made at Nongman village, where camera traps installed by ENFOGAL successfully captured images of the species. The Indian bison, the world’s largest wild bovine, is listed as Vulnerable on … Continue reading Indian Bison Camera-Trapped in Kamjong

The Centre is planning to construct underground railway tracks along a 40-km stretch of the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor in West Bengal. The move aims to strengthen rail connectivity between the Northeast and the rest of India while addressing long-standing security and vulnerability concerns of this narrow passage. By shifting critical rail infrastructure underground, the … Continue reading Underground Rail Plan for Siliguri Corridor

Special Care Waste such as paint cans, bulbs, and expired medicines has been formally identified under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, with disposal mandated through designated collection points. Notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the new rules will replace the 2016 framework and come into full effect from April 1, … Continue reading Special Care Waste under SWM Rules, 2026

Environment / Biodiversity & Taxonomy Hoya nagaensis is a newly described flowering plant species belonging to the genus Hoya, known for its ornamental, waxy flowers. The species was identified through detailed taxonomic research. It has been recorded from the Kavünhou Community Reserved Forest in Phek district of Nagaland, part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. … Continue reading New Plant Species: Hoya nagaensis

Environment / Biodiversity & Flora A new plant species, Strobilanthes riteshii, belonging to the family Acanthaceae, has been recorded during floristic surveys at Chayangtajo in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery was made by researchers from the Botanical Survey of India’s Arunachal Pradesh Regional Centre in collaboration with the Agharkar Research Institute. The … Continue reading New Plant Species Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Environment / Water Security The idea of “Day Zero” has returned to global attention following UN warnings that climate change, over-extraction of groundwater and weak water governance could drive many cities, including in India, towards severe water crises. “Day Zero” denotes the stage at which a city’s usable water supply drops below a critical limit, … Continue reading “Day Zero” and Urban Water Collapse

Environment & Culture / Community Conservation Hally War of Siej village in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills has been selected for the Padma Shri Award 2026 in the category of social work. The honour recognises his lifelong commitment to conserving the region’s iconic living root bridges. For decades, War has been involved in nurturing and maintaining … Continue reading Padma Shri 2026 for Living Root Bridge Conservator

Environment / Wildlife Conservation The Asiatic wild dog, or dhole (Cuon alpinus), has been camera-trapped for the first time in Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, signalling improved habitat quality and prey availability. Separately, a Wildlife Institute of India study has confirmed the reappearance of the dhole in the Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong Landscape, where it was earlier … Continue reading Return of the Dhole in Indian Landscapes

Society / Demography India’s demographic dividend is narrowing, with projections indicating a population of 1.59 billion by 2051 and a widening regional divide between an ageing South and a youthful North. This transition will reshape labour markets, political representation and federal dynamics. In this context, the Northeast shows steady demographic expansion. Its population rose from … Continue reading Northeast India and the Shifting Demographic Dividend

Environment / Environmental Governance The Environmental (Protection) Fund is a statutory fund of the Government of India meant to channel penalties collected from violations of environmental laws into pollution control and ecological restoration. It supports activities such as environmental monitoring, research and institutional capacity building. The fund is anchored in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 … Continue reading Environmental (Protection) Fund

Environment / Wildlife Conservation Tamil Nadu informed the Madras High Court that it is establishing Vulture Safe Zones, starting with the Moyar River Valley in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, to protect vultures from toxic veterinary drugs such as diclofenac. In a related national initiative, India’s first online vulture knowledge portal, The Vulture Network, was launched … Continue reading Vulture Safe Zones and Conservation Initiatives

Environment / Wildlife Conservation Tamil Nadu informed the Madras High Court that it is establishing Vulture Safe Zones, starting with the Moyar River Valley in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, to protect vultures from toxic veterinary drugs such as diclofenac. In a related national initiative, India’s first online vulture knowledge portal, The Vulture Network, was launched … Continue reading Vulture Safe Zones and Conservation Initiatives

International Relations / Indian Geography Shaksgam Valley is a high-altitude, sparsely populated region north of the Karakoram Range in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. India claims it as part of Ladakh, but it has been under Chinese control since Pakistan transferred it to China through the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, which India … Continue reading Shaksgam Valley (Trans-Karakoram Tract)

Environment / Biodiversity The elusive spotted linsang has been recorded for the first time in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, marking a significant addition to the region’s mammalian biodiversity. The rare carnivore was documented during systematic mammal surveys conducted by scientists from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in a community-managed forest. The … Continue reading First Record of Spotted Linsang in Garo Hills

Geography / Environment & Energy The Public Investment Board has cleared the ₹26,070-crore Kamala Hydroelectric Project, a major storage-based hydropower scheme with flood moderation features, strengthening India’s renewable energy push. With an installed capacity of 1,720 MW, the project is expected to generate about 6,870 million units of electricity annually, supporting grid stability and India’s … Continue reading Kamala Hydroelectric Project, Arunachal Pradesh

Geography / Environment & Ecology The Senapati Forest Division has launched a pilot Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to restore the Barak River watershed by combining scientific planning with community participation. The initiative focuses on ecological restoration while strengthening local livelihoods through grassroots involvement. The pilot was conducted at Saranamai village in Senapati district, where communities … Continue reading Participatory Rural Appraisal in Barak River Basin

Environment & Biodiversity A small saprophytic mushroom, Parasola plicatilis—commonly known as the Pleated Inkcap—has been documented for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. The species was recorded at the experimental farm of ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Longding, adding to the region’s known fungal diversity. The finding highlights the rich but underexplored mycological diversity of the … Continue reading First Record of Pleated Inkcap in Arunachal Pradesh

Environment & Biodiversity Scientists led by S. D. Biju (“Frogman of India”) have discovered two new frog species in the remote mountain regions of Arunachal Pradesh—Soman’s Slender Arm Frog (Leptobrachium somani) and Mechuka Slender Arm Frog (Leptobrachium mechuka). The finding reinforces the Eastern Himalayas as a biodiversity hotspot and highlights the need for conservation-focused research … Continue reading New Frog Species from Arunachal Pradesh

Environment & Biodiversity Ophiorrhiza mizoramensis is a newly discovered species of flowering shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae (coffee) family. The plant was identified in Murlen National Park in Mizoram, close to the Indo-Myanmar border, a region known for high floral diversity and endemism. The discovery adds to India’s growing list of endemic plant species and … Continue reading Ophiorrhiza mizoramensis — New Coffee-Family Plant from Mizoram

Environment & Biodiversity Bridgeoporus kanadii is a newly identified macrofungal species distinguished by its exceptionally thick, leathery and massive fruiting bodies, earning it the description “colossal.” The species was discovered in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, where it grows on old-growth Abies (fir) trees, indicating a strong dependence on mature forest ecosystems. The finding … Continue reading Bridgeoporus kanadii — A Colossal New Fungus from Arunachal Pradesh

Environment & Biodiversity Researchers have reported Parasynnemellisia khasiana, a rare fungal organism that was unlike anything in existing taxonomic records, leading scientists to establish an entirely new genus and species for it. The organism was recorded from the rain-soaked bamboo forests around Mawsynram in Meghalaya’s Khasi Hills, where it seems finely tuned to thrive in … Continue reading Parasynnemellisia khasiana — Unique Fungal Discovery in the Khasi Hills

Environment & Governance India has inaugurated the world’s second National Environmental Standard Laboratory — making it one of only two countries, along with the United Kingdom, to host such a facility. The NESL serves as the apex national centre for testing, calibrating, and certifying air-pollution monitoring equipment under real Indian climatic and environmental conditions. By … Continue reading National Environmental Standard Laboratory (NESL) — India joins a select global league

Environment / Biodiversity A team of scientists from Mizoram, working with researchers from Russia, Germany, and Vietnam, has identified a new species of reed snake, correcting a long-standing taxonomic misidentification. The species has been named Calamaria mizoramensis, after the state where it was discovered, and adds a new member to India’s documented reptile diversity. The … Continue reading Calamaria mizoramensis — New Reed Snake from Mizoram

Law / Governance / Environment The Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee has directed Meghalaya Police to submit a report on the alleged deaths of two coal miners in an illegal mine in East Jaintia Hills. The one-member committee, appointed by the Meghalaya High Court to investigate illegal coal mining and its transportation, continues to monitor … Continue reading Katakey Committee Seeks Report on Alleged Coal Mine Deaths

Environment / Urban Governance Mandatory three-bin segregation (wet, dry, and sanitary/reject waste) is emerging as the backbone of efficient urban waste management. When households and markets separate waste at the source, recycling purity improves, processing becomes cheaper, and landfill dependence drops sharply. It also strengthens circular-economy outcomes by ensuring that recyclables actually reach recovery facilities … Continue reading Source Segregation Drive — Why Three-Bin Systems Matter

Environment / Internal Security / Wildlife Crime Wildlife enforcement agencies have warned that poaching syndicates — particularly those operating out of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra — are now increasingly using the North East–Myanmar corridor to move wildlife parts into China and Vietnam. This marks a strategic shift from the earlier Nepal–Tibet route. What has changed?• … Continue reading North East–Myanmar Corridor Emerging as Major Wildlife Trafficking Route

Climate / Geography A bomb cyclone is a fast-intensifying mid-latitude storm. It earns the name when the storm’s central pressure plunges dramatically — roughly 24 millibars or more in a day — leading to fierce winds and widespread disruptive weather such as heavy rain or snow, rough seas, and storm surges. Such systems typically develop … Continue reading Bomb Cyclone — Explained

Environment / Biodiversity Law Peruvian municipalities have passed a landmark ordinance granting legal rights to Amazonian stingless bees — the first time insects have been formally recognised this way. The bees are now acknowledged as having the right to exist and flourish, maintain healthy populations, regenerate natural cycles, live in pollution-free habitats, and receive legal … Continue reading Legal Rights for Amazonian Stingless Bees

Environment / Wildlife Conservation / Railways Under Plan Bee, devices are placed at sensitive railway locations to keep elephants away from tracks by broadcasting loud bee-buzzing sounds. Because elephants instinctively avoid bees, the sound — heard up to about 400 metres — encourages them to change course before reaching the tracks. Alongside this system, the … Continue reading Plan Bee — Safeguarding Elephants Near Railway Tracks

Environment / Wildlife Conservation Over three decades after tigers disappeared from the State’s records, Gujarat has been officially recognised as a tiger-presence state for the 2026 national census. The decision follows verified sightings in Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary (Dahod). An official camera-trap survey will now be carried out along the Gujarat–Madhya Pradesh border to confirm movement … Continue reading Gujarat Recognised as Tiger-Presence State Again

Biodiversity / Environment Scientists have discovered a new species of Collembola — tiny soil-dwelling micro-arthropods — in the high-altitude landscapes of Sikkim. The species has been named Neelus sikkimensis, and it is the first representative of the genus Neelus ever recorded in India. With this discovery, the global number of known species in this genus … Continue reading New Micro-Arthropod Species Discovered in Sikkim

Security / Environment Samudra Pratap is a specialised Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) inducted into the Indian Coast Guard to protect marine ecosystems, respond to oil spills, and assist in firefighting at sea. It represents India’s growing ability to manage maritime environmental emergencies. The ship is the largest vessel in the Coast Guard fleet and the … Continue reading Samudra Pratap – India’s Largest Indigenous Pollution Control Vessel

Manipuri environmentalist Dr Khangembam Shamungou Singh has raised concern over the Sangai (state animal of Manipur) being incorrectly listed as “Thamin” under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Sangai is the brow-antlered deer of Keibul Lamjao, uniquely adapted to Loktak’s floating meadows (phumdis) and symbolises Manipur’s culture and ecology. “Thamin” (Eld’s deer) … Continue reading Sangai vs Thamin — why the naming matters

Environment and Climate Change The Southern Ocean carbon anomaly refers to the unexpected strengthening of the Southern Ocean as a carbon sink, despite climate models predicting that global warming would weaken its ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Models had suggested that stronger winds and upwelling would bring CO₂-rich deep waters to the surface, leading to … Continue reading Southern Ocean Carbon Anomaly

Environment and Biodiversity Indian wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon has been elected as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the 2025–2029 term. He becomes the first Asian to lead the Commission in its 75-year history, signalling a significant shift towards stronger Global South leadership in global biodiversity governance. The SSC is the largest … Continue reading Vivek Menon Elected Chair of IUCN Species Survival Commission

Environment and Biodiversity Armenia has unveiled the official logo of COP17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), symbolically highlighting its unique natural heritage. The logo features the Erivan Anomalous Blue, a rare butterfly species found only in Armenia, underscoring the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. The butterfly, scientifically known as Polyommatus eriwanensis, is endemic … Continue reading Armenia Unveils COP17 CBD Logo Featuring Endemic Butterfly

Social Science and Environment Green criminology is a cross-disciplinary approach that studies environmental harm by linking law, ecology, economics and politics. Instead of limiting itself to offences formally recognised by criminal law, it investigates a wider range of activities that degrade ecosystems and threaten human and non-human life. The field analyses how policy choices, market-driven … Continue reading Green Criminology and Environmental Justice

Environment and Biodiversity A newly identified species of snakehead fish has been discovered from the streams of Ri-Bhoi district in Meghalaya, adding to the rich freshwater biodiversity of the Eastern Himalayan region. Named Channa bhoi, the species belongs to the Gachua group of snakehead fishes, which are typically adapted to hill streams and forested freshwater … Continue reading Discovery of Channa bhoi in Meghalaya

Environment & Sustainable Governance Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival has emerged as a national model for environmentally responsible mass celebrations. The 26th edition set a new benchmark by adopting a zero-waste, zero-plastic, and fully sustainable framework without compromising cultural vibrancy. Through strict plastic avoidance, sustainable alternatives, and waste management measures, the festival prevented the use of … Continue reading Hornbill Festival’s Zero Plastic Roadmap

Environment & Marine Ecology Caribbean hard coral cover has declined by 48% between 1980 and 2024, primarily due to extreme ocean heat and repeated coral bleaching events, signalling a severe crisis for marine ecosystems. Hard corals, also known as stony corals, are marine animals that secrete calcium carbonate skeletons, forming the rigid reef structures that … Continue reading Caribbean Hard Coral Cover Drops Sharply Due to Heat Stress

Environment & Global Awards The UNEP Award 2025 for Lifetime Achievement has been conferred posthumously on Manfredi Caltagirone, former head of the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) under UNEP. He was a leading global advocate for methane emissions transparency, playing a crucial role in advancing data-driven monitoring, accountability, and policy action to curb one of … Continue reading UNEP Award 2025 (Posthumous) for Lifetime Achievement to Manfredi Caltagirone

Environment & Sustainable Innovation Mariam Issoufou (Niger/France) has been awarded the UNEP Award 2025 under the Entrepreneurial Vision category. An architect by profession, she is globally recognised for reimagining Sahelian architecture through climate-sensitive design. Her work focuses on passive cooling techniques using local materials and traditional knowledge, enabling buildings to reduce indoor temperatures by up … Continue reading Mariam Issoufou Wins UNEP Award 2025 for Entrepreneurial Vision

Environment & Wetland Conservation India has designated two additional wetlands as Ramsar Sites, taking the national total to 96, a sharp rise from 26 in 2014. The newly notified sites are Siliserh Lake in Alwar, Rajasthan, and Kopra Jalashay near Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. These additions strengthen India’s commitment to wetland conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience, … Continue reading India Adds Two New Ramsar Sites, Total Reaches 96

Environment & Global Awards Imazon (Brazil) has been named the UNEP Award winner for 2025 in the Science & Innovation category. The research institute is recognised for using AI-driven geospatial technologies to detect and expose illegal deforestation in the Amazon. Imazon’s work strengthens forest governance and environmental accountability by providing real-time data, improving monitoring systems, … Continue reading Imazon Wins UNEP Award 2025 for Science & Innovation

Environment & International Conservation The 50th anniversary of CITES was marked at CoP20 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where member countries adopted significant decisions on species protection and debated the balance between livelihoods, sustainable use, and wildlife trade governance. A key outcome was India’s successful opposition to an EU proposal to list guggul (Commiphora wightii) under Appendix … Continue reading CITES at 50: Key Outcomes from CoP20, Samarkand