Aided and abetted by unscrupulous medical practitioners, female foeticide has increased alarmingly over the years. And the backyards of prominent urban centres are transforming into a veritable haven for such activities. The retrieval of hundreds of packets of dumped infant body parts from the small town of Nayagarh, has brought to the fore how brazenly the practice of female foeticide flourishes in the state of Orissa. It now appears that Nayagarh was the hub of illegal abortion in the area with people using the dubious facilities offered for termination of unwanted female foetuses.

Drift through any prominent do’s of the city and pose a few CFL questions to the elite and environment conscious. Watch the proud smile spreading across their faces claiming they use only compact fluorescent lights as it can save the world from greenhouse gas emissions. The link no doubt is well established and the rich and famous have found a new expensive toy to show off how aware and concerned they are about the future of the earth. But with a rising inequality in incomes, poor India can barely afford a light bulb let alone a CFL. Starting at about Rs. 100 for standard illumination requirement, for almost all branded CFL, it is way beyond the Rs 10 that a two-square-meal-earning citizen dish out for an edisonian bulb. If we are so sure that the energy efficient CFL will translate into substantial energy savings and bring down emissions levels then we should address its pricing regiment so that every Indian is able to afford a CFL without debt pangs.

Without a national programme to make CFL disposal easy for the average consumer, millions of CFLs reaching the end of their life will silently release mercury–a deadly toxin, into India’s waste stream.

Wild Shrimp Seed Collection in Hoogly Estuary, West Bengal.

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) is being projected as the panacea of all lighting needs of the nation which will control if not bring down the whopping demand for energy, which in India is mostly met from greenhouse gas-producing thermal power plants. But there is a poisonous side to this harbinger of good tidings that is being swept under the proverbial carpet, durries perhaps, in the Indian context.

India’s coastal regions, stretching thousands of kilometers, are on the frontlines of a creeping environmental crisis—saltwater intrusion. Unlike cyclones or tsunamis, this is a disaster that doesn’t make headlines, yet its impact is profound, slow-moving, and multi-generational. From contaminated drinking water and degraded farmland to the forced migration of traditional fishing communities, saltwater intrusion is a pressing issue that touches the lives of millions. This article explores the science behind saltwater intrusion, its socio-economic toll, and the urgent need for inclusive coastal policy frameworks. At the centre of this article lies a compelling call: to prioritize ocean health, listen to affected communities, and design policies that are both responsive and respectful.

The convergence of scientific knowledge and diplomatic strategy is increasingly defining the contours of international engagement in a world marked by deep geopolitical divisions and rapid technological advancement. This article delves into science diplomacy as a critical interface that shapes multilateral negotiations, strategic treaties, and the global governance of emerging technologies. Through an expansive discussion, the episode traces the history, challenges, and institutional forms of science-led diplomacy, spotlighting key sectors such as nuclear energy, space exploration, agriculture, climate change, artificial intelligence, and polar science. Offering practical illustrations from international forums and bilateral arrangements, this conversation unpacks how science both transcends and is shaped by national interest, commercial ambition, and global responsibility.

This article investigates the evolving understanding of sustainability by tracing its roots through geological epochs, civilizational collapses, demographic surges, and contemporary climate challenges. It exhorts the urgent need to move away from generic, rhetorical uses of sustainability and towards a context-specific, historically grounded, and ecologically attuned framework. Particularly focused on India, the article explores the unique vulnerabilities posed by demographic pressures, geomorphological features, and governance structures. It also critically evaluates the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering a sharp lens on their relevance, contradictions, and adaptability for India's pressing realities. At a time when planetary resilience is stretched to its limits, the article calls for a radical rethinking of how we live, build, and sustain.

The recent World Bank report that ranks India as the fourth most equal country globally has sparked a critical debate on the measures and metrics behind inequality rankings and poverty reduction. The conversation decodes the data sources, methodological inconsistencies, and paradoxes in economic inequality indicators such as the Gini coefficient and income or wealth shares by different classes of populations. It explores why poverty decline does not necessarily translate into equality and examines the role of welfare schemes, progressive taxation, and statistical frameworks in shaping our understanding of inequality in India. This reflection offers a cautionary perspective against uncritical interpretations of global rankings and emphasizes the need for nuanced, context-aware policy responses.