Monsoon was stronger 7,000 years ago: study
The Hindu
Due to variations in solar radiation, it started weakening 4,200 to 2,000 years ago, say researchers
A study carried out by researchers from the Central University of Kerala has found that the monsoon was much stronger 7,000 years to 5,000 years ago and it underwent a cyclic change caused by variations in solar radiation. A.V. Sijinkumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, who led the research team, said the study was carried out in the Indian Ocean to understand changes in the monsoon in the past. This would help researchers forecast monsoon variability and the results could be used for building models that would offer insight into future variations in the monsoon, especially in the context of global warming. “The monsoon is critical to Indian economy. A weak monsoon has led to severe droughts, famine, affecting the economy and food security, whereas a strong monsoon may lead to floods like those in Kerala in 2018 and 2019,” he said.
In , the grape capital of India and host of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela every 12 years, environmental concerns over a plan to cut 1,800 trees for the proposed Sadhugram project in the historic Tapovan area have sharpened political fault lines ahead of local body elections. The issue has pitted both Sena factions against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. While Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief, and Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT), remain political rivals, their parties have found rare common ground in Tapovan, where authorities propose clearing trees across 34 acres to build Sadhugram and a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) hub, as part of a ₹300-crore infrastructure push linked to the pilgrimage.












