Articles by Umesh Srinivasan

To bolster its edible oil security, India is aggressively pushing for oil palm cultivation in the country despite its well documented deleterious socio-economic and ecological impact. In this scenario, it becomes vital for the government to institute a comprehensive framework for initiating and monitoring oil palm cultivation and encourage sustainable agricultural practices.

A majority of Indian wildlife scientists are unable to come together to create a united front to add a much-needed conservation focus to policymaking. In an age when we are trying to balance development with protection of forest areas, wildlife biologists need to actively respond to and engage with situations where the wildlife and conservation angles need to be highlighted. They should make the effort to translate science into policy in conjunction with the bureaucracy and actively work towards creating a much-needed platform for collaboration.