Stories written by
Peter Smetacek
Peter Smetacek is a regular Scroll.in contributor
-
The biggest threats to wildlife in India: Forest fires and an ‘unhealthy’ plantation model
All that is needed to restore Indian ecosystems is protection, not plantation.
Peter Smetacek
-
India is ‘planting forests’ to forestall the impending water crisis. It is a fool's errand
Instead, for a start, we should allow forests to regrow naturally. Planting trees creates a plantation, not a forest.
Peter Smetacek
-
In India, a move to put a monetary value to forests could spell disaster for protected landscapes
It allows policymakers to shrug their shoulders and de-notify protected areas for short-term economic benefits.
Peter Smetacek
Trending
-
Husna Bai: The tawaif who made Hindustani music a respectable profession for women artists
-
‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ review: Adultery saga has a maths problem
-
Carnatic music: Violinist L Subramaniam’s new book looks at the 18th-century masters
-
‘Saffronisation of Doordarshan’: After DD News unveils new logo, social media users express alarm
-
Is the 2024 Lok Sabha election India’s last chance before the point of no return?
-
Damage control: Why Uttarakhand saw few wildfires this year
Almost all fires that did start were swiftly put out with nothing more than green boughs and leaf rakes.
Peter Smetacek
-
Fighting floods: India needs to emphasise disaster prevention, not disaster management
It's time for a new approach.
Peter Smetacek
-
What the culling of wild animals in some states can tell us about future water wars in India
We can reduce the pressure of wild animals on cultivation if we permit our forests, wildlands and sub-surface water systems to restore themselves.
Peter Smetacek
Video
-
Watch: Unbelievable scenes of flooding in Dubai airport, streets, and malls after heavy rain in UAE
-
Indian elections: How secure is the EVM-VVPAT process?
-
Watch: Footballers of Indian clubs walk out on the pitch with dogs to get them adopted
-
Watch: Dogs wag their tails to ‘conduct’ classical music orchestra
-
Watch: Glimpses of Indian singer Sid Sriram’s debut performance at Coachella 2024
-
How a patch of forest land in Uttarakhand was quietly converted to commercial land
The process of urbanising Bhimtal’s catchment area has been steadily progressing, with commercial properties coming up on what was forest land.
Peter Smetacek
-
So what's wrong in asking who set the forests on fire in Uttarakhand?
Why are there loud and vehement protests when one questions the 'naturalness' of the fires that are set to subvert the law or destroy evidence?
Peter Smetacek
-
Missing the woods for the trees: How India's forests have been lost in translation – in plantations
The fact that a German and not an Englishman set up the Indian Forest Service had unintended but far-reaching consequences for India – and today's forest fires.
Peter Smetacek
The Reel
-
‘Do Aur Do Pyaar’ review: Adultery saga has a maths problem
-
‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2’ review: Laboured and barely provocative
-
‘Civil War’ review: An urgent film about a barely-distant future
-
Watch: ‘The Broken News’ returns for a second season
-
‘Dil Dosti Dilemma’ trailer: A teenager bonds with her grandparents during a summer vacation