Latest news with #Environment2025
Time of India
12-08-2025
- General
- Time of India
'It's not about how many Tigers—it's about where they thrive': A conversation with L Krishnamurthy, APCCF (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh, often hailed as the "Tiger State of India," has consistently topped national charts in tiger numbers. But with this success comes the responsibility of managing growing populations, ensuring ecological balance, and mitigating the challenges of human-wildlife conflict. The rapid diversion of forest land for non-forest use, encroachments into corridors, and climate-linked pressures add further complexity to conservation work in the state. In this context, P Naveen spoke with L Krishnamurthy , Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh. In this candid interview, Krishnamurthy outlines the forest department's current focus areas—from strengthening corridors and habitat management to leveraging technology and empowering communities—and offers insights on the road ahead for tiger conservation in the state. Q-How many are too many? When it comes to tiger numbers in the state, what is Madhya Pradesh's target population? A -We can't fix the numbers. The department is focusing on consolidating the landscape through protection, habitat management, corridor management, and community engagement in wildlife conservation. That said, we still have some tiger reserves and forest areas, like the proposed Omkareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, where more tigers can be supported. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo The main focus is on landscape consolidation rather than chasing a specific number. Q- How many tigers can Madhya Pradesh realistically support without leading to excessive human-wildlife conflict? A-Tiger numbers can be estimated based on the ecological carrying capacity of each tiger reserve and protected area. However, it's equally important to consider the social carrying capacity—that is, the willingness and ability of communities to coexist with large carnivores. Our goal is to keep tiger populations connected through functional corridors, which helps reduce conflict in and around tiger reserves. Q- What plans are in place to manage the tiger population as it approaches the state's ecological carrying capacity? A-Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, we have expanded our network of protected areas by adding new tiger reserves and sanctuaries. We've also developed comprehensive strategies including the State Wildlife Action Plan, a State Elephant Management Plan, and the use of Artificial Intelligence in wildlife monitoring and conflict reduction. We're also promoting ecotourism, creating livelihood opportunities, and running awareness programs. Each tiger reserve has a Tiger Conservation Plan, and protected areas are governed by detailed Management Plans. Q. The State of India's Environment 2025 report by CSE states that Madhya Pradesh has diverted the highest amount of forest land (38,553 hectares) for non-forest use. How much of this diversion occurred within designated tiger corridors or ecologically sensitive zones? A -In cases where land is diverted from within corridor areas, we receive equivalent revenue land under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) provisions. Additionally, mitigation measures are implemented to ensure that wildlife movement is not disrupted, following the recommendations of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The proportion of land diverted from within Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and tiger corridors is a small fraction of the total—excluding Panna, where we've taken a landscape-level approach with the Greater Panna Landscape Management Plan. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
11-08-2025
- General
- Time of India
‘Not number but where tigers thrive matters'
Madhya Pradesh — often hailed as India's 'Tiger State' — leads the nation in tiger numbers. But with this success comes the challenge of managing a growing big cat population, maintaining ecological balance, and tackling persistent human-wildlife conflict. Adding to the complexity are rapid diversions of forest land for non-forest use, encroachments into key corridors, and the mounting pressures of climate change. In this context, P Naveen spoke with additional principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), MP, L Krishnamurthy. In a candid discussion, he outlined the department's focus areas — from strengthening corridors and improving habitats to using technology and empowering communities — and shared his vision for the state's tiger conservation journey. Excerpts from the interview… How many are too many? When it comes to tiger numbers in the state, what is Madhya Pradesh's target population? n We can't fix the numbers. The department is focusing on consolidating the landscape through protection, habitat management, corridor management, and community engagement in wildlife conservation. That said, we still have some tiger reserves and forest areas, like the proposed Omkareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, where more tigers can be supported. The main focus is on landscape consolidation rather than chasing a specific number. How many tigers can Madhya Pradesh realistically support without leading to excessive human-wildlife conflict? n Tiger numbers can be estimated based on the ecological carrying capacity of each tiger reserve and protected area. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo However, it's equally important to consider the social carrying capacity — that is, the willingness and ability of communities to coexist with large carnivores. Our goal is to keep tiger populations connected through functional corridors, which helps reduce conflict in and around tiger reserves. What plans are in place to manage the tiger population as it approaches the state's ecological carrying capacity? n Under the leadership of the chief minister, we have expanded our network of protected areas by adding new tiger reserves and sanctuaries. We've also developed comprehensive strategies including the State Wildlife Action Plan, a State Elephant Management Plan, and the use of Artificial Intelligence in wildlife monitoring and conflict reduction. We're also promoting ecotourism, creating livelihood opportunities, and running awareness programs. Each tiger reserve has a Tiger Conservation Plan, and protected areas are governed by detailed management plans. The State of India's Environment 2025 report by CSE states that Madhya Pradesh has diverted the highest amount of forest land (38,553 hectares) for non-forest use. How much of this diversion occurred within designated tiger corridors or ecologically sensitive zones? n In cases where land is diverted from within corridor areas, we receive equivalent revenue land under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) provisions. Additionally, mitigation measures are implemented to ensure that wildlife movement is not disrupted, following the recommendations of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The proportion of land diverted from within Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and tiger corridors is a small fraction of the total—excluding Panna, where we've taken a landscape-level approach with the Greater Panna Landscape Management Plan. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Why Are Maruti, Tata, Mahindra Making Fewer EVs?
India's electric vehicle (EV) dreams have long symbolised its aspirations for a cleaner, more self-reliant future. But today, those dreams risk stalling at the crossroads of geopolitics and supply chain fragility. With China's April 2025 export curbs on rare earth elements, a critical question looms: can India steer its EV revolution onto a resilient, independent path before it's too late? The India EV revolution, which was running in high gear until some time ago, has now been thrown into turmoil, with manufacturers slashing their EV production targets across the board. Maruti, Tata, Mahindra, the two-wheeler giants - none has been spared. For the average Indian hoping to buy an affordable EV, these disruptions could soon mean higher prices, longer wait times and dwindling options. And with this, India's ambitious goal of 30% EV penetration by 2030 now hangs in limbo. Importance of Rare Earth Elements REEs are a group of 17 metallic elements, including samarium, dysprosium, and neodymium, which are critical to modern technology. They power everything from EV motors and missile systems to smartphones and wind turbines. China has achieved near-total dominance in this sector, not just by mining these elements but by mastering the far more complex process of refining them. With an almost iron grip on global processing - controlling roughly 85% of the market - the latest curbs by the Red Dragon have restricted access to these elements, impacting not only the global defence sector but also commercial industries, such as clean energy and electric mobility. A House of Cards India's EV penetration has surged to 7.7% in 2024, a nearly fourfold jump from 1.75% in 2021. But this remarkable growth is marred by a heavy reliance on China. According to a CRISIL report, last year, India imported over 80% of its 540 tonnes of magnets, critical for manufacturing EV motors, from China. This dependency stems from the fact that domestic manufacturing has struggled to keep pace with sector demands, despite the government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) push over recent years. Ironically, India holds the world's sixth-largest deposits of rare earth elements - about 6.9 million metric tonnes - but has almost no domestic magnet production. The Economic Survey 2024-25 warned that EV production requires six times more minerals than conventional vehicles, with supply chains dangerously concentrated in a handful of countries, especially China. This stark reality exposes a brutal truth: India's electrification ambitions have outpaced its supply chain resilience planning. To make matters worse, Mint reports that the embargo and subsequent import hurdles could increase costs by as much as 8%, a burden likely to be passed on to customers. For India's cost-sensitive market, especially in the two-wheeler segment, this poses an existential challenge. Supply Chain Disruption The Centre for Science and Environment's State of India's Environment 2025 report highlights that component localisation has lagged due to a weak manufacturing base. Experts agree that building a full ecosystem - from mining to magnet production - demands sustained policy support, technical capacity, and major investment. Without swift action, India remains vulnerable to external shocks and geopolitical risks. While many states have launched EV policies with strong demand incentives, few have addressed supply chain security. Most rely on the Centre, and no state mandates local sourcing of critical components like batteries or motors. The PM-EDRIVE scheme does include localisation criteria, but state policies generally focus on consumer subsidies over R&D. Maharashtra stands out as an exception. Its policy explicitly promotes supply chain resilience and circularity, allocating ₹15 crore toward R&D in sodium-ion batteries, magnet-free motors, and recycling technologies. However, these efforts are still in early stages, and their outcomes will take time to unfold. Overall, sub-national policies have yet to fully grapple with the risks posed by global supply chain disruptions. Reducing Dependency Private participation in critical mineral mining became possible only after the 2023 amendment to the Mines and Minerals Act. Until then, IREL (India) Ltd held a monopoly, with rare earths classified as atomic minerals under the Atomic Energy Act. Following the reform, the government auctioned 13 exploration blocks in March 2025. Since then, progress has begun. Vedanta's subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc, recently announced plans to mine and process neodymium, a key input for permanent magnets. Sona Comstar - India's largest importer of rare earth magnets from China and a major supplier to Tesla and Stellantis - has also declared its intention to localise production and reduce dependence on Chinese imports. However, the transition from exploration to actual production takes time. The lithium auction in Jammu & Kashmir illustrates this challenge: despite relaxed rules, both rounds failed due to limited geological data, small block sizes, and technical complexities. This gap between ambition and on-ground readiness remains a key hurdle. Still, the liberalisation of mining policy marks a crucial step toward reducing import dependence and building a resilient domestic rare earth supply chain. A Bloomberg report indicates the government may temporarily ease localisation norms to allow imports of fully-built motors. While this offers short-term relief, it does little to advance long-term atma-nirbharta. What's needed is a strategic, well-resourced response. First, KABIL's overseas mineral missions in Argentina, Australia, and Chile must be fast-tracked to shield India from future supply shocks. Second, a strong circular economy push is vital - scaling battery recycling can recover up to 90% of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt. Third, the Economic Survey 2024-25 calls for greater R&D investment in next-gen batteries like sodium-ion to further de-risk and secure supply chains, along with tech transfer agreements to share costs and diversify supply chains. Fewer EVs today, Resilience Tomorrow? The supply chain shock is already visible - Maruti has slashed production targets for its upcoming EV, an early warning sign. If rare earth shipments don't resume soon, Indian manufacturers may be forced to import fully built motors from China, raising costs by 5-10%. Ironically, this disruption may succeed where years of policy have fallen short: pushing India toward genuine automotive self-reliance. While diplomatic outreach to China is underway, it remains a short-term fix. Meanwhile, the Hon'ble Prime Minister's recent visit to Ghana set the tone with a high-stakes agreement on rare earth mineral mining - an important step toward long-term resilience. As RMI notes, India's success in renewable energy proves that self-sufficiency is achievable when backed by coherent, risk-aware policy. With global uncertainties mounting, India must accelerate efforts to localise its EV supply chain. The question isn't whether rollout will be slow - it will - but whether this crisis will finally drive the structural reforms needed to secure India's electric future.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
At 156.87%, groundwater extraction highest in Punjab: Report
Bathinda: Punjab is grappling with an alarming groundwater crisis, according to the latest State of India's Environment 2025 report by an environmental NGO. The report, released ahead of World Environment Day on June 5 by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth, highlights that over 75% of Punjab's blocks are classified as overexploited, with groundwater extraction soaring to 156.87%—the highest in the country. Punjab also faces widespread contamination of its groundwater with toxic elements such as uranium, arsenic, and nitrate, affecting nearly all its districts, according to the report. The number of districts with groundwater levels deeper than 40 metres rose from three in 2014 to 11 in 2024 in Punjab, while those with shallower water tables have declined. Punjab also suffers from severe contamination issues. Nine of its 23 districts show abnormal salinity levels; 17 report fluoride anomalies; uranium contamination affects 20 districts; nitrate and iron pollutants appear in 20 and 18 districts, respectively; and arsenic contamination is present in 12 districts, according to the report. The report further said that Punjab, alongside Ladakh, ranks lowest in the country for tree and forest cover. At the national level, India, according to the report, has witnessed a decline in agricultural land from 62.33% in 1952-53 to 58.69% in 2022-23, driven by population growth, rapid urbanisation, and industrialisation. Irrigation has increasingly shifted towards tubewell dependence, rising from 0.55% in 1960-61 to 43.34% in 2022-23, with Punjab among 10 states relying almost entirely on tubewells for irrigating farmland. MSID:: 121621808 413 |
