Monika Mondal

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Clothes in Urmilla’s house go through a cycle. They change purpose and shape, and are allocated different space around the house. Once the garments are cherry picked from the stores, they are worn for several years and belong to the ‘almirah’ (the wardrobe). Then they undergo as many repairs as possible to kee...

After several roadblocks, strikes and demonstrations, farmer unions protesting new agricultural laws commemorated two months of sitting at the borders of the Indian state of Delhi on January 26. A peaceful “tractor rally” by the protesting farmers was organized, parallel to India’s 72nd Republic Day celebrations inside the heart of the national capital, New Delhi. However, a dramatic turn of events, including the death of a young supporter, arrests, violence and the waving of a flag at the Re...

A 2016 government policy, “City Compost Scheme”, to convert the organic kitchen waste into manure for the farmers has not seen much progress.
The waste decomposition and manure formation need special attention and dedicated technology. The government has to step in and support the market while creating a demand from the farmers to use the manure, writes Monika Mandal in her commentary on the policy.
The views expressed in this commentary are that of the author.
In 2016, the Government of Indi...

by Monika Mandal
Indian Farm Bills Seen as “Black Laws”
The three farm bills that the Indian central government passed, first as ordinances in June 2020 and then as bills in September 2020, are commonly referred to here in India as, “Kala Kanoon” (Black Laws). While the government insists that the laws are for the welfare of farmers, the beneficiary party do not think so. A “rail roko” (rail blockade) was organised by the farmers in September 2020 as soon as the laws were passed, but it did n...

From the ceremonial grandeur that filled the halls to the brilliant subtlety of a red rose next to a plate on the banquet table, this banquet was full of pomp and circumstance — the first of its kind for our constitutional republic.
It was January 24, 1950. Our Constitution was signed, and in two days India would officially be a new republic governed by its people. At sunset, cars lined up in front of the palace of the Governor-General — the palace which soon would be the residence of the pre...

Certain species of mangroves have started growing as far as over 180 kilometres away from the Sundarbans forest — some have even been spotted near Kolkata
Mangroves typically grow where sea water meets the fresh water, however, lately researchers have discovered that this relationship is changing. The Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest that stretches for about 10,000 sq km across India and Bangladesh. It hosts more than 28 species of mangroves, that stand as guards along the co...

Pressure mounts on Cox’s Bazar as once lush forests have given way to environmental degradation—and forced relocation of the Rohingya to an uninhabited island becomes the easy way out.

Better representation of behavioural response, wide contribution from all levels and tech detailing may provide better outcomes for India
In an effort to boost sustainable energy, the Niti Aayog partnered with the United States Agency for International Development to develop an energy modelling system — the process of estimating and analysing energy to meet a country’s demand without losing energy during supply and while keeping in mind environmental complexities. Both renewable and non-renew...

The new farm laws that aim to double farmers’ income in two years by deregulating agricultural markets may further widen the inequalities in the sector, shows our analysis of similar legislations from the past. By weakening the government’s price guarantee system, the laws may end up hurting small and poor farmers, who form 80% of the sector and 23%of those who live below the poverty line, say critics.

The privatisation of the sugarcane industry in 1998 and the deregulation of Bihar’s Agricul...

The unconventional nature of playing poker professionally sometimes makes it difficult for people to consider it as a long-term legitimate pursuit, and there are multiple stereotypes associated with the game which make it that much more difficult for people to understand. The series of questions that follows “I am a professional poker player”, are sometimes annoying and even mind-boggling.
Not to mention, every art form — including dancing, painting and playing football — was once a stereotyp...

It was April, 2020 and Tamil Nadu was in strict lockdown. Rachna Bhagat, who lives in the Egattur area of Chennai, received a message on her apartment WhatsApp group. The message was about an online fruit and vegetable selling platform which could fulfil her mango craving for the long summer ahead.
Rachna followed the instruction on the website and selected her mango variety and ordered a 5 kg package. It sounded a noble idea to receive fresh mangoes straight from the farmer’s field, but she ...

Any endorsement of liberalization must be accompanied by unbiased reflections on the cost of such ‘reforms’
The prime minister, Narendra Modi, believes that the three bills on agricultural reform are essential for doubling farmers’ income by 2022. Some industrialists have compared the legislations with the liberalization of the Indian economy. It may, therefore, be useful to examine the experience of other countries that attempted to liberalize the agricultural market.
The Farmers Produce Tra...

After a decade of moratorium on Bt brinjal, India allowed field trials to start in September, marking the first step towards the commercial marketing of what will be India’s second GM or genetically modified crop--after Bt cotton--and very first GM food crop. But environmental experts are warning that unbridled and unplanned growth could set Bt brinjal on the same trajectory as Bt cotton, whose commercialisation has been marked by poorly regulated field trials, inadequate safeguards and lack ...

India is among the pioneers which drafted a national-level act, the Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Rights Act (PPVFRA, 2001), to ensure the rights of farmers.
While the PPVFRA addresses issues like food security and farmers’ access to seeds, the draft Seed Bill 2019 is in conflict with the former as it may not allow any producer to sell seeds without certification and registration.
While the PPVFRA gave farmers the freedom to manage seeds by preserving the farmers’ rights over the in...

India targets to reduce carbon emissions by 20,000 tonnes by blending 10 million litres of ethanol in the fuel. However, the availability of biomass for ethanol production is far less than the demand.
As targets under the National Biofuel Policy were not achieved, the government of India revised the national policy in 2018 but without enough support, the policy is struggling to take off, argues Monika Mandal in this commentary.
Given the production capacity of biomass by the country, the avai...