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    In a significant step toward strengthening climate and disaster resilience, Bhutan is drawing lessons from New Zealand to redesign and reinforce its public infrastructure systems. Inspired by the rebuilding efforts following the devastating Christchurch earthquake, Bhutanese engineers and planners are now applying global best practices to make their cities and institutions safer against future disasters. A team of architects and engineers from Bhutan recently completed an intensive training programme in Christchurch, where they studied post-earthquake reconstruction strategies, structural safety assessments and modern retrofitting techniques. The initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme, focused on equipping professionals with practical skill...

    As an intense and early heatwave grips Delhi-NCR, lakhs of gig and platform workers are raising alarm over worsening working conditions, urging immediate intervention from authorities. With temperatures expected to soar beyond 44 degrees Celsius, the situation has become increasingly dangerous for those working long hours outdoors, particularly delivery partners and ride-hailing drivers. The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) has formally appealed to the Delhi government, demanding a temporary halt on all delivery and outdoor gig work between 12 pm and 3 pm the most intense heat hours of the day. The union argues that forcing workers to remain on the roads during this period exposes them to serious health risks, including heat exhaustion, dehydration and...

    India’s pre-monsoon season this year has taken an unusual turn, with widespread and intense rainfall recorded across multiple regions, even as heatwaves continue to grip parts of the country. A detailed analysis highlights that the unexpected surge in rainfall during March and April 2026 is closely linked to the combined influence of powerful anti-cyclonic systems and an unusually high number of active weather disturbances. According to data from the India Meteorological Department, weather patterns throughout March were marked by a mix of heatwaves, thunderstorms, hailstorms and significant rainfall events. While such variability is not uncommon during the pre-monsoon phase, the scale and frequency observed this year have raised scientific interest and concern. M...

    India’s mounting textile waste is emerging not just as an environmental challenge but as a massive untapped economic opportunity, with inefficiencies in collection, sorting and recycling leading to losses worth tens of thousands of crores each year. A recent report reveals that while the country generates enormous volumes of textile waste annually, systemic gaps are preventing the recovery of its full value. According to a joint study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and the Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition, India produces nearly 7.25 million tonnes of textile waste every year. However, due to poor infrastructure and fragmented systems, only a fraction of this waste is effectively processed, resulting in an es...

    A massive waste dump on the outskirts of Hyderabad has drawn global attention for the wrong reasons. The Jawahar Nagar landfill has been ranked as the fourth-largest methane-emitting waste site in the world, according to an international study, highlighting the growing environmental and public health crisis linked to unmanaged urban waste in India. The findings come from researchers at the University of California Los Angeles as part of their “Stop Methane Project,” which uses satellite-based data to track emissions from major waste sites globally. The Jawahar Nagar landfill recorded methane emissions of 5.9 tonnes per hour, placing it behind only sites in Buenos Aires, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, significantly more effective at t...

India’s long-standing focus on large dams and canal networks is being re-evaluated as new evidence highlights the crucial role of decentralised water systems in sustaining agriculture and rural livelihoods. Experts now argue that the country’s irrigation future does not lie in choosing between big infrastructure and small solutions, but in integrating both into a cohesive, efficient system. For decades, irrigation policy has prioritised the expansion of large and medium projects. While these have created significant irrigation potential, their benefits have often been uneven. Farmers located at the head of canal systems typically receive reliable water supply, while those at the tail-end frequently face shortages, forcing them to depend on groundwater as a backup. Recent field studie...

    In a powerful example of community-led conservation, a small tribal village in Madhya Pradesh has transformed its surrounding forest into a symbol of unity, identity and self-governance by painting it blue. The initiative, led by the Gram Sabha of Ranjara village in Dindori district, reflects a growing movement where indigenous communities are not only claiming their rights but actively shaping the future of forest management. Located in the Baiga Chak region, Ranjara is home to over 850 residents, most of whom belong to the Baiga tribe, recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group. For generations, the community has lived in close harmony with the forest, relying on it for food, medicine, fuel and cultural practices. From mahua flowers and tendu leaves to me...

    In a remarkable window into the past, a collection of rare 19th-century Himalayan images captured nearly 170 years ago has gone on public display for the first time in New Delhi, offering an extraordinary glimpse into landscapes and cultures long before modern exploration and photography took hold. The exhibition showcases the pioneering work of the German explorer siblings Adolph Schlagintweit, Hermann Schlagintweit, and Robert Schlagintweit, who were commissioned in the mid-19th century by the East India Company to carry out an ambitious scientific survey of the Indian subcontinent. While parts of India had already been mapped under the Great Trigonometrical Survey, vast stretches of the Himalayas remained largely unexplored due to difficult terrain and geopolitica...

    India’s growing tiger population is being celebrated as a global conservation success, but beneath this achievement lies a complex and often painful reality the rising conflict between humans and wildlife. The experience of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve offers a powerful example of how the country is attempting to strike a balance between protecting biodiversity and safeguarding human lives. Located in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, Tadoba-Andhari has emerged as one of India’s most dynamic and tourist-friendly tiger reserves. With around 100 tigers and increasing tourist footfall, the reserve reflects the success of conservation efforts. Yet, it also highlights the human cost that often accompanies such ecological gains. On average, about 10 human deaths occur eac...

    The global climate system is entering a dangerous phase, with Earth’s energy imbalance reaching its highest level in at least 65 years, according to a new report released by the World Meteorological Organization. The findings highlight a rapid acceleration in global warming, driven by rising greenhouse gas emissions and an increasing buildup of heat within the planet’s system. The report identifies Earth’s energy imbalance the gap between the energy the planet receives from the Sun and the energy it radiates back into space as a crucial indicator of climate change. Under normal conditions, Earth maintains a near balance between incoming and outgoing energy. However, this balance has now been disrupted due to the growing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosp...