Dweep Tulika

New Delhi | August 27, 2026 A fresh confrontation has emerged between India and a United Nations human-rights watchdog over the proposed development of Great Nicobar Island , with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) calling for suspension of the projects pending independent assessments, while the Government of India has rejected the committee's observations as “politically motivated” and “highly malicious.” The development has brought the long-running debate over the Great Nicobar infrastructure project back into the national spotlight, placing Indigenous rights, environmental concerns and India's development priorities at the centre of the discussion. In its concluding observations on India, CERD expressed concern over the potential impact of major infrastructure and development projects on Indigenous and tribal communities. With regard to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the committee recommended that India suspend implementation of the pr...

Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 6 August 2026 Mukta Dhara Society has submitted a representation to the Secretary, Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council (SVPMC) seeking the installation of additional public dustbins and improvements in sanitation and solid waste management as part of its " Become the Change – Clean Andaman Initiative ," being conducted in collaboration with Dweep Tulika News .  In the representation, the Society stated that interactions with residents across various wards had highlighted concerns regarding the inadequate availability of public dustbins in markets, parks, beaches, bus stops and other high-footfall areas. It also referred to complaints about open garbage collection points , which were said to attract stray animals and contribute to scattered waste, foul odours and unhygienic conditions.  To address these concerns, Mukta Dhara Society requested the Municipal Council to install covered twin dustbins for wet and dry w...

DEHRADUN, July 24:  Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an immediate halt to the felling of trees for the proposed Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh road widening project following nearly a week of sustained public protests. The controversy began on July 12 when authorities started cutting trees for the expansion of the 20-kilometre road connecting Dehradun and Rishikesh . The project requires the removal of around 4,369 trees, many located in a forest area that forms part of an important elephant corridor near Rajaji National Park .  The move sparked widespread opposition from environmentalists, students, local residents, and social organisations. Protesters staged Chipko-style demonstrations by hugging trees, organising peaceful sit-ins, and demanding that the government reconsider the project in view of its environmental impact. Around 400 trees were reportedly felled before the work was stopped. On July 18, Chief Minister Dhami directed officials to suspend...

Sri Vijaya Puram, June 22: In a significant addition to India's botanical knowledge, scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have discovered a new species of wild brinjal in the evergreen forests of Middle Andaman . The discovery highlights the exceptional biodiversity of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and their importance as a global ecological hotspot. The newly identified species, named Solanum pandeyi , was discovered by Dr. Lal Ji Singh , Head of the Botanical Survey of India's Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. The plant was found growing naturally along forest edges in Middle Andaman and is locally known as the Wild Orange Eggplant . According to Dr. Singh, the species has long been used by the indigenous Great Andamanese community for both food and traditional medicine. The seeds and roots are reportedly used to treat tooth infections, while the ripe fruits are prepared into a sweet-and-sour sauce using jaggery, chilli, garlic, ginger and salt by Ranchi ...