Natural Environment - Question of Cities

Wayanad’s lessons on how not to manufacture ecological disasters

The 572-millimetres rain in two days triggering massive landslides in Wayanad shook the nation. Beyond the rising death toll and large-scale devastation is the question being asked of authorities in Kerala as well as across India’s hills, cities and towns…

From ground zero: Human decisions worsened climate tragedy in Wayanad

Even as the challenge of rehabilitating the landslide-affected looms large, the disaster raises other issues. Once a dense forest, Wayanad now has…

India’s changing monsoon patterns demand shifting gears in preparedness

There is empirical evidence to show that changes in the monsoon or heavier rainfall is not merely our imagination. The tehsil-level study…

‘Maharashtra had 1,500 landslides in 2021, so 1,500 lessons but nothing learnt’

The Wayanad landslides bring back memories of last year’s landslide in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, on the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats…

Mithi: More than a rainwater drain for Mumbai but tell that to the authorities

The quiet Mithi River turned hostile on July 26, 2005, flooding the city in the record 944 millimetres rainfall that day. Pinched…

Reimagining Mumbai: From flood-prone to sponge city

Over the years, reckless development has destroyed the city’s ecology, increasing the risk of floods. Mumbai’s lakes, marshes, and salt pans used…

Rain anxiety trumps the ‘spirit of Mumbai’ for millions

For many in Mumbai who lived through or know of the devastating flood on July 26-27, 2005, every monsoon brings back the…

Why Mumbai has failed to become flood-ready

The city of dreams is wading through a flood of problems. The rain photos are the same every year — people negotiating knee-deep water, traffic jams, stationary trains in submerged waters. The rainfall has intensified over the years, increasing the…

Saavan ka kya thikana? Bollywood rain songs fade out

For decades, mainstream Hindi cinema romanced the rain with songs. From the quintessential Pyar hua ikraar hua and semi-classical Barkha bahar aaye…

Why India’s cities are not prepared for extreme heat and high rainfall

Searing heat scorched northern India, including Delhi, before rains hit hard. Flooding threw life out of gear in Pune, Bengaluru, Itanagar among…