How jamuns are warning us
This summer, markets are full of jamuns (Indian blackberries), far more than we have seen in many years. Even trees that produced very little fruit last year are now laden with jamuns. Our grandmothers had a simple explanation: when jamun trees bear an unusually heavy crop in summer, it often signals a drought year. Scientists describe this as masting or stress fruiting. When trees experience water stress or changing climatic...
Authoritarianism at its peak
The police detained a group of villagers from Karapur-Sarvan, most of them women, while they were marching to Azad Maidan in Panaji to protest the luxury housing project promoted by a Mumbai realty major in their village. Twenty-five villagers had attempted to reach the designated protest site when police stopped...
When the skies stay silent
Despite it being the monsoon season in Goa, there has been little or no rain. Dam water levels are falling, and hardworking farmers are anxiously waiting for showers to revive the dry land. Rainwater is a precious resource that replenishes groundwater, fills rivers and reservoirs, supports agriculture, maintains soil fertility,...
Ignoring nature has a cost
With the delay in the monsoon, people from different faiths are now praying for rain. While respecting everyone’s belief in God and the power of prayer, I also believe that we must do our part to protect nature. For many years, environmental activists in Goa have warned that the destruction...
Govt should fix leaking pipes before preaching conservation
As Goa continues to wait anxiously for the full arrival of the Southwest monsoon, concerns over water availability are mounting across the State. The government has reportedly appealed to citizens to use water judiciously and avoid unnecessary wastage. However, the government’s appeal rings hollow when glaring examples of large-scale water...
