Is India Winning the War Against Pollution? The fight for cleaner air and water intensifies as the nation grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change. From the devastating floods in Assam to the alarming rise in air pollution levels in Delhi, environmental challenges demand urgent action. This week saw crucial discussions on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy sources at the India Climate Change Conference, highlighting the government's commitment to tackling deforestation and promoting biodiversity conservation. But are these efforts enough? Experts warn of looming water scarcity and the need for stricter regulations on industrial emissions. The future of India's environment hangs in the balance, demanding collective responsibility and innovative solutions. Explore Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and the latest updates on environmental policies, climate activism, and the ongoing struggle for a sustainable India. Discover how you can contribute to a greener tomorrow.
MYSURU: For four days, there was no signal, no contact, and no clear path out.Somewhere inside the dense forests of Kodagu -- a terrain known for wild elephants, steep descents and sudden weather shifts -- 36-year-old GS Sharanya kept moving, stopping, waiting, and calling out, hoping someone would hear her.She had set out on April 2 for what was meant to be a routine one-day trek to Tadiandamol, the highest peak in the district. Travelling from Kozhikode, the IT professional had checked into a homestay near Kakkabe and joined a group of trekkers. But while descending the peak that evening, she got separated.By the time others returned safely, Sharanya was missing.Her phone had little charge left. The network was patchy at best. Within hours, she was completely cut off.On the first day, she tried to retrace her steps, walking till evening. But as the forest thickened and light faded, she stopped near a rocky stream. Moving further in the dark, she realised, could make things worse. With just a 500ml bottle of water and no food, she spent the night outdoors.The next two days were a test of restraint as much as survival.With a leg injury slowing her down, Sharanya avoided venturing deeper into unfamiliar terrain. Instead, she stayed close to areas where she might be visible. At one point, she moved to a relatively open patch, hoping she could be spotted if search teams used drones."No food, sleep for 3 days, didn't panic"Resident GS Sharanya, 36, arrives in Kodagu for 1-day trekLeaves for Tadiandamol, the highest peak in Kodagu district. Sharanya goes missing by evening and rescue operation is launched to locate herCops and forest department jointly relaunch the operationCops seek help from Anti-Naxal Force and dog squad. Foresters use thermal drone cameras & tribals join the operationBack outside, a large-scale operation had already begun.Police, forest officials, Anti-Naxal Force personnel and local tribal communities fanned out across the region. Nine teams searched through dense vegetation, working against rain, fog and failing light. Thermal drone cameras were deployed, and additional teams were stationed along the Karnataka-Kerala border as a precaution.But the terrain was unforgiving.On the third day, Sharanya considered climbing to higher ground to improve her chances of being spotted. Heavy rain forced her to abandon the plan. She waited instead, conserving energy, drying her clothes, and calling out intermittently."I kept walking expecting to meet someone," she later said. "I did not feel scared. I don't know why."That calm would prove critical.By the fourth day, as the search intensified under directions from senior officials, members of the Kudiya tribal community -- familiar with the terrain -- picked up faint calls from a remote stretch of the Pattighat reserve forest, an area officials described as one "where nobody usually goes".They followed the sound.Around 4pm on Sunday, more than 72 hours after she went missing, Sharanya was found -- conscious, stable, and remarkably composed.She was escorted out, taken for medical evaluation, and later returned to her homestay. Authorities confirmed she had no major injuries.Her survival, officials said, was shaped not just by endurance, but by a series of cautious decisions -- staying put when needed, avoiding risky movement, and holding on until help arrived.What began as a one-day trek had turned into a four-day ordeal.And yet, when she finally walked out of the forest, Sharanya was smiling.
Guwahati: Meghalaya Police have released fresh CCTV footage of an Indore couple who went missing last month, as the probe intensifies to trace the wife after her husband's body was discovered last week. Notably, Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam were on their honeymoon, visiting Cherrapunjee in the East Khasi Hills when they disappeared on May 23. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! The couple had arrived in Nongriat a day earlier and last saw them checking out of Shipara Homestay. Sources indicate that the authority found the rented scooter th ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Nature lovers have a fresh reason to visit Nandankanan Zoological Park in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, as the famed wildlife sanctuary welcomed seven baby yellow anacondas into its reptilian fold on Sunday -- a rare and exciting addition that underscores the zoo's growing reputation as a haven for exotic species. The tiny hatchlings were born to a breeding pair of yellow anacondas brought to Nandankanan from the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai in October 2019. With these new arrivals, the zoo now proudly houses a thriving family of 14 yellow anacondas -- two adult males, two adul ...Read More >
Chaibasa (Jharkhand), July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) A landmine planted by Maoists in the dense Saranda forest of Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district has claimed the life of a young male elephant, Forest Department officials said on Sunday. The six-year-old wild elephant, affectionately called 'Gadru' by local villagers, sustained grievous injuries after stepping on an IED in the Digha area of the Saranda forest on June 24. The powerful blast severely damaged the animal's hind left leg, which left it immobilised and bleeding. Locals later found the wounded pachyderm collapsed near a stream. Villag ...Read More >
Madikeri: The Central Horticultural Experimental Station at Chettalli near Madikeri faces a continuous threat from wild elephants as they have damaged orchards.The centre maintains distinct blocks of orchards, including naseberry, guava, and butter fruit trees aged between 15 to 20 years. Wild elephants regularly invade these orchards during harvest seasons, destroying crops and damaging trees extensively. Wild elephants from the adjacent Meenakoli Reserve Forest have damaged the guava block.A makeshift elephant guard house, covered in plastic, has been erected centrally in the apple orchard a ...Read More >
Jaipur: Police in Didwana have stepped up their probe into a cross-border smuggling case in which they arrested two arms and drug smugglers on June 27 for supplying Austrian Glock and Chinese Norinco pistols. It has emerged that the case has links to a massive Rs 300-crore heroin consignment seized by Punjab's Amritsar police near the India-Pakistan border in Barmer on June 30. Canada-based Joben Kaler was identified as the main overseas handler of the heroin consignment. Didwana-Kuchaman police had arrested Mohammad Ilyas from Khunkhuna and Amarjeet Singh Takhar, alias Prince, from Jalandhar ...Read More >
Keonjhar: Heavy rainfall of around 110mm disrupted traffic for five hours on NH-49 near an under-construction overbridge between Telkoi and Bichakhani forests, an established elephant corridor, on Monday.The downpour caused water levels in the Bichakhoni canal to rise to 4ft by 10am, washing away the temporary road at the site. A truck got stranded in the floodwaters, while road damage on the other side completely halted traffic movement, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the highway.IIC of Telkoi police station, Anjan Kumar Patra, led emergency repairs with the help of th ...Read More >
Dispur: Tea production is a cornerstone of Assam's economy. The tea from this northeastern state has procured its place in the world market. Traditional methods as well as modern technology are used for tea production. In the old days, people used to prepare tea by hand. Although the invention of machinery and advancements in research over time have changed the methods of producing tea leaves, many people in Assam continue to prepare and use tea leaves by hand even today. Meet Moina Kramchapi, a young, budding entrepreneur who not only produces tea in the traditional methods but also is expl ...Read More >
Bengaluru: In an incident of concern, the unnatural death of a tigress and her three cubs, probably due to poisoning, came to light in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district on Thursday. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru, Forests, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre announced that an investigation has been ordered into the incident and officials have been directed to submit a detailed report within three days. The probe will be conducted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). "Karnataka stands second in the count ...Read More >
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday unveiled his ambitious vision to transform Amaravati into a global capital for quantum technologies. Addressing the Amaravati Quantum Valley Workshop here, Naidu said: "Quantum computing is the need of the hour. By January 1, 2026, the quantum computing centre will be operational in Amaravati. This marks the beginning of the Quantum Valley." The workshop, jointly organised by the AP government, the Department of Science and Technology (Government of India), TCS and L&T, brought together some of the top minds and institutions in quantum ...Read More >
Chennai, Jul 15 (PTI) The ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company Ltd has planned to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu with 10 more branches and add over 10,000 advisors across South India. ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company Ltd is a joint venture between Manipal Group, an eminent player in healthcare delivery and higher education and global health services company Cigna Healthcare. Also Read | Aadhaar Free Update: Government Requests Parents to Update Children's Aadhaar Biometrics Between Age 5-7, Free of Cost. Citing a data from the General Insurance Council (GIC), ManipalCigna said it ...Read More >
In turn, Acura Capital executed a fictitious deal to attract other investors. Where $8 million were attracted. It is worth noting that at the moment the token price has fallen by half from the pre-sale price. As a reminder, Bohdan Prylepa was previously named the main suspect in a large-scale crypto fraud. The "businessman" embezzled a billion hryvnias that were intended for purchasing drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine Furthermore, Prylepa's accomplices are under investigation: Saranenko, Shydlovskiy, Ivanov, Podpletko, Mazolyuk, and Vorobyov. These individuals allegedly helped block us ...Read More >
Mysuru: The forest department in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar has initiated a comprehensive drive to identify and reclaim encroached forest lands. Early this week, the Mysuru forest department reclaimed eight acres of forest land in Hunsur.The forest department is currently investigating encroachments of a minimum of three acres and above, and measures are being taken. They are either evacuating encroachments by individuals or cancelling illegal grants of land by the revenue department by producing records.About eight acres of land in Gagenahalli in Hunsur, which was granted to an individual in e ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 27(ANI): As part of heightened security measures for the 148th Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad, the Crime Branch has deployed anti-drone guns developed by Bangalore-based AXISCADES Aerospace & Technologies Pvt Ltd to monitor the 16-km procession route, officials said on Friday. According to officials, the advanced equipment is designed to detect and jam unauthorised drones, ensuring that only drones authorised by the administration remain operational along the yatra route. Speaking to ANI, Prashant Sharma, Anti-Drone Gun Operator at AXISCADES, said, "This ...Read More >
Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 6 (ANI): With Muharram processions and the ongoing Kanwar Yatra taking place across several districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Sambhal, Lucknow and Moradabad, the state administration has stepped up security measures to ensure peace and prevent any untoward incidents. A large number of people participated in the Muharram processions in various parts of the state. In view of the Kanwar Yatra happening at the same time, police forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, with drones and CCTV cameras monitoring the situation. Also Read | DA Hike July 20 ...Read More >
Rourkela: A six-year-old elephant calf that was found severely injured in the Saranda forest near the Odisha-Jharkhand border last week has died despite sustained rescue and treatment efforts. A drone survey conducted June 27 as part of a forest security operation spotted the calf near the M canal with severe injuries to its left hind leg. Six teams of forest officials were immediately mobilised to initiate a rescue operation. By Saturday morning, under the leadership of Saranda DFO Abhiroop Sinha, rescue teams from West Singhbhum, Rourkela, Keonjhar and a team of wildlife experts from Jamna ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 10 (ANI): Morocco's Ambassador to India, Mohamed Maliki, underscored the expanding scope of India-Morocco relations during a wide-ranging interaction in the national capital. Highlighting deepening cooperation in trade, defence, investment, counter-terrorism, and beyond, he outlined key areas of collaboration and ambitious plans for the future. Also Read | Ukraine-Russia War: Moscow Blasts Kyiv With Another Missile, Drone Barrage, Killing at Least 2. "I think the sky is not even the limit for us... because we believe in making India, we believe in the capabilities of ...Read More >
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], July 15 (ANI): The Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar received another bomb threat on Tuesday. The dog squad has been deployed at the Golden Temple premises as part of a security check. The holy site for Sikhs received a bomb threat via e-mail for the second consecutive day. Also Read | India Raises Pahalgam Terror Attack at SCO Meeting: EAM S Jaishankar Calls for 'Uncompromising Position' on Combatting Terrorism. Pratap Singh, Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), demanded strict action against the miscreants. Pratap Singh told reporte ...Read More >
Patna, Aug 1 (PTI) Healthcare services were affected at AIIMS-Patna on Friday as resident doctors went on an "indefinite strike" in protest against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand. According to a press statement issued by the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS-Patna, on Friday, "The RDA expresses deep disappointment and anguish over the lack of action by the administration following the violent and traumatic incident that occurred on Wednesday, when MLA Chetan Anand, his wife and their armed guards breached hospital security, physically assaulted staff, and thr ...Read More >
As winter approaches, Coorg, often called the "Scotland of India," offers the perfect retreat for nature lovers. Nestled in the Western Ghats, this hill station promises unforgettable experiences, from trekking Tadiandamol Peak to exploring serene coffee plantations on the Kopatty Trail. Stay at Blyton's Bungalow, an eco-friendly haven, and indulge in stargazing at Nalaknad Palace. For a deeper connection with nature, camp by the Kaveri River or explore the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. Coorg's stunning waterfalls, including Abbey and Iruppu Falls, provide a perfect setting for relaxation, ma ...Read More >
Bhopal: The tragic end of an Indore couple's honeymoon in the scenic terrains of Shillong in Meghalaya still shrouded in mystery. Body of the husband, Raja Raghuvamsi (29), was recovered in a gorge near the Wei Sawdong falls in Shillong four days ago, but his widow Sonam seemed to have vanished into thin air with the rescue teams finding no trace of her even a fortnight after her disappearance. Her brother Govind Raghuvamsi who has been camping at the site for the past two weeks suspected that she might have been abducted by the assailants who had allegedly killed her husband. "The rescue t ...Read More >
Karnataka: With a steady increase in the tiger population at the Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka's Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre has directed officials to begin the process of declaring the region a tiger reserve. He emphasized the need to first collect public opinion from the local communities before proceeding with formal proposals. Chairing a high-level meeting with senior forest officials, including the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, at Vikasa Soudha today, Minister Khandre instructed the depar ...Read More >
BHOPAL: She never mated, yet raised generations of calves. She survived brutal attacks, lived through blindness, and stood as a matriarch in the forests of Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh for over three decades. But when Vatsala died this week, the gentle elephant did so just short of global recognition - because of one missing document.On Tuesday, Vatsala collapsed into a pit near Hinauta Elephant Camp and could not rise. Her body finally gave way. Forest officials said she was more than 100 years old - a contender for Guinness Book of World Records - but could not secure the title. "Wi ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Exploring scientific solutions to reduce human-elephant conflict across Karnataka, the forest department Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for landscape-level conservation of Asian elephants. Renowned ecologist and elephant expert from IISc, Prof Raman Sukumar, and Karnataka chief wildlife warden Prabhash Chandra Ray signed the commencement of the Rs 4.7-crore project, fully funded by the forest department.Admitting an increa ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the ongoing restoration work of the historic Mubarak Mandi complex, which was the power centre of the Dogra kings in Jammu, and stressed on enhancing its heritage appeal. The Mubarak Mandi Complex is one of Jammu's most significant architectural heritage sites and is envisioned as a comprehensive cultural centre, housing museums, conference venues and heritage hospitality services. Accompanied by Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Yudhvir Sethi during the visit, the chief minister was briefed in detail on the multi-phas ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned educational institutions that cases would be booked against them if drugs were found in their premises. The CM announced that the state's Anti-Narcotics Bureau would henceforth be known as Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and was tasked with curbing the menace of narcotics in the state. Speaking at an event marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2025 at Shilpakala Vedika here, Reddy placed an onus on educational institutions to ensure their campuses were free of drugs. "It is the ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) It was a belligerent, brilliant, and breathtaking performance from the Chennai Bulls, who were crowned the first ever champions of the Rugby Premier League, here in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex. The Chennai Bulls thrashed the Delhi Redz by a scoreline of 41-0 in the final, to clinch the title. In fact, the margin of victory is the biggest across Season 1 of the GMR RPL. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, came away with a third-place finish, after they won 17-12 against the Bengaluru Bra ...Read More >