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Hindustan Times
30-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Tiger count doubles in Chhattisgarh's Achanakmar reserve, report says conditions ripe for more growth
New Delhi: The number of tigers is on the rise in Chhattisgarh's Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, with 10 resident big cats photographed in 2024 compared to five in 2017, a new report by World Wildlife Fund India and the state forest department has revealed. Population density of the tigers' prey, wild ungulate, has also shown an upward trend.(Pixabay/Representative image) The reserve now has multiple breeding-age tigers with a a healthy sex ratio for the first time in 15 years, , said the report released on Tuesday. Three tigers and seven tigresses were photographed last year. In 2017, the reserve had four tigers and just one tigress, it noted. 'Conditions appear to be ripe for the population to grow steadily,' it said. Also read | Gujarat's Banni grasslands readying for translocation of cheetahs 'The population status and trend of tigers and prey in ATR (Achanakmar Tiger Reserve) were assessed using camera trap data from the 2017 to 2024, and line transect data from 2019 and 2024. There is evidence for progressive recovery of the tiger population over this period, with 10 resident tigers being photo-captured in 2024, relative to 5 in 2017,' the report said. 'Line transect data' here refers to a technique that involves walking or moving along a line to count the animals. More prey available too The population density of the tigers' prey, the wild ungulate, has also shown an upward trend between 2019 and 2024, according to the analysis. 'Ungulate densities were highest in the Achanakmar and Chhaparwa ranges, which coincide with areas that have been constantly used by multiple tigers over the study period. Conversely, other ranges like Lamni and Surahi were associated with lower prey densities and tiger presence, suggesting potential for future recovery efforts,' the report said. Radio collars and other recommendations WWF India has recommended radio-collaring of tigers as per existing protocol and gain insights about the foraging ecology and habitat use. Focus should be on breeding females and dispersal-age animals, it said. 'The tiger reserve and corridors comprise large areas recognised as Community Forest Resources Rights (CFRR) under the FRA, 2006. The Forest Department, NGOs, and community institutes in key villages must collaborate to promote conservation through co-management of these areas,' the report recommended. It emphasised the crucial role of the Kanha-Achanakmar and Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar corridors in enabling tiger population recovery in the area. It further stressed the need for sustained and adaptive management practices, effective protection measures, and active community participation in conservation. Move to restore habitat In a separate event, on the occasion of Global Tiger Day, Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav announced the launch of a nationwide tree plantation drive, where over 1 lakh saplings will be planted across all 58 tiger reserves. As part of this initiative, authorities of each tiger reserve are to plant 2,000 saplings of indigenous plant species in degraded areas to promote habitat restoration. The event included the inauguration of forest nurseries at three locations in the Aravalli landscape.
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Transformational changes in Gurukuls, says Minister Adluri
The State government is committed to social equity, quality education and dignity in public welfare. It places student health, environmental education and staff welfare at the centre of the policy discourse, Minister for Scheduled Castes Development Adluri Laxman Kumar said on Wednesday. Presiding over an orientation programme with zonal officers and principals of all Social Welfare Residential Institutions for the first time, here at Dr. MCRHRD Institute of Telangana on Wednesday, he said his department would listen to all grievances and will resolve their service matters swiftly. Pointing at recent concerns around quality of meals, students' mental health and infrastructure of hostels, Mr. Laxman Kumar said the department proposed a slew of measures. Fortnightly health checks Soon, health check-ups of students in all welfare hostels in the State will be taken up as a priority and with services from the Health department, primary healthcare teams will visit hostels once every fortnight, he informed. Over health and safety concerns too, the Minister informed that all aluminium cookware in State hostels will be replaced with steel sets. He directed officials for a State-wide replacement and for related cost proposals for the transition. Additionally, he assured that only premium-grade fine rice would be supplied to all hostels through a coordination with the Department of Civil Supplies. Teachers as torchbearers Mr. Laxman Kumar instructed the zonal and institutional academic heads to monitor subject-wise performance and extend remedial support to underperforming students. While reminding about increased budgetary allocations for mess and cosmetic charges and resolving past delays, he stressed cleanliness and discipline in dining halls and cautioned against any violations of operational norms. The Minister assured that pending service matters, salaries, health card issues, timely distribution of uniforms, shoes and textbooks will be taken care. MoU with WWF India The event also saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between TGSWREIS and WWF India, to launch 'Mission Prakruti', a collaboration aimed at enhancing environmental consciousness among students and embedding sustainability into institutional practices. Under the initiative, students will be trained in environmental stewardship, biodiversity conservation and sustainable campus practices. TGSWREIS Secretary V.S. Alagu Varshini, WWF India representatives Anil Kumar, Shivaprasad Reddy and senior officials were present.
Hans India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
BCI farmers get global recognition
Warangal: Prajwal Farmer Producer Company managing committee member Edla Rajitha, who belongs to Pathipaka village under Shayampet mandal in Hanumakonda, appreciated the farmers practicing the H&M Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a global programme focused on making cotton production more sustainable. Taking part in the two-day Impact Panel Training in Turkey on Wednesday, Rajitha said that WWF India has been supporting the 15,563 Prajwal farmers in Shayampet, Geesugonda, Regonda, and Parvathagiri mandals in carrying out the H&M Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
La Nina likely to aggravate Goa's plastic waste menace
Panaji : A silent drift unfolded off Goa's coast between March 20 and April 10 this year. Pink and red specks began dotting satellite images — not signs of marine life, but clusters of floating plastic. Over a 10km-long stretch along the shoreline, these clusters map a grim and growing reality: Goa's seas and rivers are turning into plastic tides. While alarming, a deeper oceanographic force could intensify this problem. A new study by WWF India suggests that currents influenced by La Nina — a large-scale climate pattern that alters global weather, along with the northeasterly monsoon winds, could push floating plastic debris into Goa's nearshore and estuarine waters. 'La Nina strengthens the northeasterly monsoon winds over the Indian subcontinent. This, in turn, intensifies westward surface currents in the northern Arabian Sea,' said G Areendran, director, tech for conservation, WWF India. 'These stronger currents can carry floating plastic toward Goa's coast.' 'Once near estuaries like the Zuari, Mandovi, and Talpona, the debris can get trapped and even recirculate into the coastal zone, especially during dry winter months when rivers discharge less freshwater.' Areendran and his team are leading an ongoing WWF India study under the wildlife tech incubator programme of the Centre for Wildlife Studies, funded by the Ashraya Hastha trust. The project, titled remote sensing and machine learning-based detection of floating offshore plastic debris in coastal Goa, combines open-source satellite data with machine learning to identify plastic debris in coastal waters. Researchers aim to create a WebGIS dashboard by Aug 2025 for real-time plastic monitoring. So far, the team has tracked floating plastic till April. The data shows troubling concentrations within 10km of Goa's shore, especially near Panaji, Mormugao, and Margao. These clusters often form in convergence zones — areas where winds and currents meet and trap surface debris. Some of the heaviest plastic build-up was found near the Mandovi and Zuari rivers. These rivers drain highly urbanised areas — including Panaji and Mormugao — and carry untreated plastic waste directly into the sea. 'In February, heatmap analysis showed dense clusters of plastic near the Zuari estuary and Panaji. The Mandovi river, being the largest in Goa, contributes significantly to plastic accumulation near Miramar beach,' said Areendran. Further north, moderate to high debris levels were recorded offshore near Calangute, Tivim, and Pernem — areas that experience high seasonal tourist footfall and storm-water runoff. In South Goa, plastic tended to accumulate off Betul, Talpona, and Canacona, where swirling tidal currents create circular flows that trap floating waste. 'River-borne plastic is a key driver in how and where debris gathers along the coast,' Areendran added. 'Even the inland hinterlands are now showing plastic presence in coastal waters, pointing to unregulated waste flowing through smaller rivers and drains.' Goa may be India's smallest state, but it generates the highest per capita plastic waste in the country. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Goa produced nearly 12kg of plastic waste per person annually in 2019-20. Tourism, one of the state's key economic engines, also contributes significantly to the problem. A study by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) found that Goa's most popular beaches — Calangute, Anjuna, and Baga — recorded the highest levels of plastic litter in the country. At peak levels, plastic waste reached up to 25g per metre of beach, with a total litter density of over 200g per sqm. WWF's current project is not just focused on mapping the pollution. The initiative aims to support the protection of Goa's critical coastal habitats. These include nesting grounds for the Olive Ridley turtle and marine biodiversity zones already under pressure from microplastics and tourism-driven waste. Researchers hope the study will help policy makers act since without timely intervention, Goa's scenic coastline — once a magnet for biodiversity and clean tourism — risks becoming a permanent dumping ground for floating plastic.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Avian life caught on canvas at painting expo at Chennai Dakshinachitra Museum
CHENNAI: Blending science with artistic creativity, botanical illustrator Suresh Ragavan organised a solo painting exhibition titled 'Brushstrokes of Endemic Echoes' at Kadambari Art Gallery in Dakshinachitra Museum, near ECR, Chennai. The event, inaugurated on Sunday, will run until June 2, showcasing detailed paintings of India's avian life, particularly species from the Western Ghats. C Elango, assistant conservator of forests, Chennai, was the chief guest, and Subhiksha Lakshmi Maxima, education officer from WWF India, was the guest of honour during the inauguration. Through this exhibition, Suresh aims to raise awareness about the urgent need to preserve India's biodiversity. Forests thrive when plants, birds, and wildlife coexist harmoniously, but climate change, deforestation, and human encroachment are threatening this delicate balance, he said in a release. With over three decades of experience at the Botanical Survey of India, Suresh said he spent a large part of his life watching, studying, and painting bird species. The exhibition features 157 endemic, endangered, IUCN, and Red List birds of India, with each artwork portraying scientifically accurate details like colour patterns, posture, and gender differences. Captions will be placed on each painting with the species names, food habits, lifespan, and conservation status. 'Birds are early indicators of ecological health, and saving them is a step toward saving our ecosystems,' Ragavan said. The exhibition is open from Wednesday to Monday from 10 am to 6 pm with extended hours until 7 pm on weekends. The gallery remains closed on Tuesdays.
