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As heavy rains lashed Pune this week a small group of volunteers armed with nothing more than their smartphones set out along the Mula-Mutha river. Their mission: to capture photos and videos that will help map how the city’s rivers respond to sudden downpours. The initiative called Nadimitra Water Level, is part of a larger citizen-science movement to monitor rivers in real time. Participants use EpiCollect5, an app developed at Oxford University, to upload images and location-tagged data. This crowdsourced information is then analysed against previous measurements to estimate water levels without the need for expensive equipment. “Volunteers don’t measure water directly,” explains retired engineer Prashant Shevgaonkar, one of the organisers. “We rely on steps at ghats or the pixel ...

NASA new acting chief Sean Duffy, has unveiled a sweeping change in the agency direction, announcing that Earth-focused climate programs will take a backseat as resources are redirected toward deep space exploration. In an interview Duffy said NASA’s mission is first and foremost about exploring beyond Earth, not leading climate research. The move signals a winding down of several long-running Earth science studies, a change that has sparked immediate pushback from the scientific community. Climate Programs on the Chopping Block For decades, NASA has been a global leader in monitoring the planet’s climate, using satellites and atmospheric research to track warming trends, greenhouse gas emissions, and extreme weather patterns. That body of data has been central to understanding gl...

The United Nations has officially declared a famine in Gaza, marking the first such recognition in West Asia. Experts warned that more than half a million people in the territory are facing “catastrophic” levels of hunger after nearly two years of conflict. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher called the crisis entirely preventable, saying food had been unable to reach Gaza because of what he described as “systematic obstruction by Israel.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the report, calling it false and accusing international organisations of relying on “Hamas lies.” Gaza City Confirmed in Famine Zone According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), famine has been confirmed in Gaza Governorate, which includes Gaza City and makes up about 20 percent of the St...

  Kerala is facing an unusual crisis a surge in civet encounters that has disrupted homes, official residences, and even courtrooms. What many dismiss as a nuisance is in fact a symptom of shrinking forests and flawed urban planning. Earlier this week proceedings at the Kerala High Court were cut short after the courtroom filled with the stench of civet urine. A nocturnal Asian palm civet had slipped into the rafters overnight, forcing staff to scrub ducts before hearings could resume. For lawyers, it was a bizarre inconvenience, but for citizens across the state, civet disturbances have become routine. From faint scuttles above tiled roofs to sudden thuds and the pungent seepage of urine through ceilings civets have made their presence felt everywhere including the residence...

Pune: Residents of Boat Club Road, North Main Road, and nearby housing societies have raised alarm over the unusual rise in Mula-Mutha river water levels following heavy rain. They claim the riverfront development (RFD) project has narrowed the river, causing flooding in low-lying areas and threatening homes. “After just two to three days of continuous rain, the river between Sangamwadi and Mundhwa has swollen, submerging large parts of the RFD embankment,” said Roda Mehta, a Boat Club Road resident. “If this continues, water could soon enter housing societies. What worries us is that this has happened with only a few days of rainfall what will happen if the downpour lasts longer?” Water entered several societies on August 19, damaging fences, gardens, and parking lots. The crematori...

Scientists have raised the alarm over the discovery of the black mussel (Mytella strigata), a fast-spreading invasive species, in shrimp farms along Sri Lanka’s northwestern coast near the Anawilundawa Ramsar wetland. Native to the Americas, this mussel has already caused ecological and economic disruptions in the U.S., Southeast Asia, and India’s Kerala backwaters. Clusters of mussels were first found attached to hard surfaces at the bottom of shrimp ponds that had been free of them just three months earlier. “The speed at which this species spread is alarming,” said Malik Fernando of the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS). Researchers warn that its rapid establishment could threaten local biodiversity and aquaculture livelihoods. Biology Behind the Invasion Accordin...

What was once a dumping ground outside a home in Ranchi’s Harmu housing colony has been transformed into a vibrant garden, thanks to the efforts of teacher Manoj Ranjan. Living in a space-constrained urban environment, Manoj turned his frustration at local littering into a green initiative that now boasts over 200 plant varieties. “Back in my village, I used to plant trees with my father. When we moved to Ranchi, there was limited space, but I noticed people dumping garbage outside our home. That inspired me to start this garden,” Manoj shared. To safeguard the plants from being plucked or stolen, he creatively used recycled objects such as old oil cans, tires, and helmets as planters. The garden thrives in a compact 10 ft by 4 ft patch, featuring seasonal flowers and ornamental plan...

The Yamuna river has once again swelled dangerously, flooding several low-lying areas across Delhi, Mathura and Agra after days of heavy rainfall and barrage releases. In Mathura, entire neighbourhoods are partly submerged, with residents wading through waist-deep water. Agra faces a bigger worry experts warn that if the water level rises further, the city could witness a repeat of the 2023 crisis, when floodwaters came alarmingly close to the outer walls of the Taj Mahal. Satellite images reveal alarming expansion Fresh satellite images have highlighted the scale of the swelling river. The Yamuna’s stretch behind the Taj Mahal has expanded drastically from 193 metres to 558 metres, raising red flags about the impact on the monument’s fragile surroundings. The sharp rise in wat...

The Union government has moved to bring Kerala Pampa River under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), a flagship initiative aimed at safeguarding major rivers across the country. According to Kodikunnil Suresh MP, the Union Ministry for Jal Shakti has asked the state government to submit a detailed report, which will form the basis for its inclusion. He noted that the Pampa deep association with the Sabarimala pilgrimage and major religious gatherings such as Maramon and Cherukolpuzha conventions lends it a sanctity comparable to the Ganga. Pollution and Riverbank Erosion Raise Concerns The MP said large-scale waste dumping and riverbank degradation remain serious challenges. “Inclusion under the NRCP will provide a major boost, with central funding for wastewater manageme...

Imagining a world without plastic bags is no longer a distant dream but a pressing global debate. The recent discussions in Geneva on a global plastics treaty brought back memories of the time when municipal authorities in Indian cities cracked down on the use of polythene bags. Street vendors, fruit sellers, and vegetable traders scrambled to hide their stash of pannis, while customers who forgot to carry cloth bags relied on these thin plastic bags that were secretly handed over. For a brief week, markets resembled inspection zones, with officials overturning baskets and seizing sacks of hidden plastic. Global Treaty Faces Sharp Divide The Geneva meet in mid-August collapsed after sharp divisions emerged. Nations dependent on petrochemical industries resisted restrictions, while de...