The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $170 million policy-based loan to improve India’s health system preparedness and capacity to respond to future pandemics.The Strengthened and Measurable Actions for Resilient and Transformative Health Systems will support the government’s National Health Policy 2017, which aims to provide quality healthcare services to all.“The COVID-19 pandemic has…
The ‘Friends of Water’ restore and revive traditional local water sources in the arid northwestern Indian stateBeneath the sprawling canopy of a ‘khejri’ (Spunge) tree in Kanasar village, in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, a group of women adorned in vibrant attire sing a heartfelt song about water and its significance. Their colourful clothes…
Climate change represents a major global challenge of the twenty-first century, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warning of increased frequency and severity of extreme temperature events. This shift in climate conditions is impacting all sectors and populations, contributing to issues such as heat fatigue and heat stroke. Proactive measures are urgently needed…
Every year on June 5th, World Environment Day (WED) captures global attention, spotlighting critical environmental challenges. This significant day, coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), serves as a call to action for governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide. In 2024, the theme “Our Land. Our Future. We are #GenerationRestoration” focused on the urgent need…
On May 26, 2024, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) took decisive action in response to the impending landfall of Severe Cyclonic Storm “Remal,” which was expected to strike at midnight. In a well-coordinated effort, a total of 14 NDRF teams were strategically deployed across nine vulnerable districts in West Bengal. These districts include Hooghly,…
Recent data reveals that India has suffered significantly from weather-related disasters, accounting for 54 million out of the 82.1 million people affected in South Asia between 2019 and 2023. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), citing data from the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), India incurred over $56 billion in…
The first five months of 2024 have seen a series of extreme weather events in India, including record-breaking heatwaves in the north and devastating floods and landslides in the northeast, raising concerns among climate scientists and the public alike. Earth system scientist Raghu Murtugudde from IIT-Bombay attributes these extremes to a combination of climate change,…
