Nachiket Kelkar, Head of Riverine Ecosystems and Livelihoods at the Wildlife Conservation Trust, shares his experiences and insights on the Ganges River, particularly focusing on the ecological changes observed in Bihar over the years.

Kelkar takes us into the multifaceted challenges and cultural dynamics surrounding the Ganges River dolphin and the fisher folk communities in India. It explores the socio-economic transitions of fisher folk, the unique characteristics of the Ganges River dolphin, and the implications of conservation projects like Project Dolphin.

Show Notes:
MC Elsa3 Sinking — Latest News: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/ship-wreck-off-the-kerala-coast-in-may-led-to-significant-ecological-disruption-report/article70071493.ece

Who is Nachiket Kelkar — https://www.linkedin.com/in/nachiket-kelkar-59975213/ https://www.wildlifeconservationtrust.org/about-us/team-2/

Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramshila_Gangetic_Dolphin_Sanctuary

Bhagalpur Blindings case https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Bhagalpur_blindings

How India moves: Bhagalpur, Bihar’s third-largest city, wants to be ‘Smart’. But pollution and gridlock prevent that https://www.downtoearth.org.in/air/how-india-moves-bhagalpur-bihars-third-largest-city-wants-to-be-smart-but-pollution-and-gridlock-prevent-that

Identifying potential causes of fish declines through local ecological knowledge of fishers in the Ganga River, eastern Bihar, India: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/fme.12390

What are Schedule 1 Species — IUCN CITES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_species_protected_by_CITES_Appendix_I

Panidari system and the nature of fisheries: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ghazala-Shahabuddin/publication/265440866_Nature_Without_Borders/links/5eabf720299bf18b958a94ac/Nature-Without-Borders.pdf#page=76

Ganga Mukti Andolan 1991: https://sandrp.in/2025/04/29/relevance-of-ganga-mukti-andolan-then-and-now/

Thirsty Rivers, Bygone Fishes, Hungry Societies: https://sandrp.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/thirsty_rivers_bygone_fishes_hungry_societies_nachiket_kelkar_dec2012.pdf

Arati’s article on the effects of the Farakka Barrage on the river: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/in-the-shifting-embrace-of-the-ganga/

Hilsa recovery ranching and ladders: Challenges abound to conserve the popular hilsa fish https://india.mongabay.com/2023/01/challenges-abound-to-conserve-the-popular-hilsa-fish/

Franciscana Dolphin of Brasil: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Plata_dolphin
Turtle hunting: https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/tracking-critically-endangered-turtles-in-the-ganges/


Platanista gangetica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges_river_dolphin

Baiji: 1:36:48 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baiji

Book on the extinction of the Baiji: Witness to Extinction: How we Failed to Save the Yangtze River Dolphin: https://www.amazon.in/Witness-Extinction-Failed-Yangtze-Dolphin-ebook/dp/B003N2P44Y

First human caused extinction of a cetacean: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2391192/
Yangtze Finless Porpoise: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangtze_finless_porpoise

Indus River dolphin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_river_dolphin Now virtually extinct in India

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This conversation delves into the Great Nicobar Project, a massive infrastructure initiative at the southern end of the Nicobar Islands, focusing on its economic viability, ecological impact, and the implications for indigenous communities. Pankaj Sekhsaria and M Rajshekhar break down and analyze the project, which includes a transshipment terminal, airport, and township, raises significant concerns regarding ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA0teTB0msU for detailed Show notes

Pankaj Sekhsaria: https://www.instagram.com/pankajsekhsaria/
Pankaj Sekhsaria: https://x.com/pankajsekh
M Rajshekhar: https://x.com/mrajshekhar

Overview of the Great Nicobar project:
The Great Nicobar Betrayal (curated essays by Pankaj Sekhsaria), the foundational book on the subject: https://www.amazon.in/Nicobar-Betrayal-Paperback-Pankaj-Sekhsaria/dp/9393875863/

and TR Shankar Raman's extensive review for Mongabay: https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/book-review-chronicle-of-an-ecocide-foretold/

The Great Nicobar project: A costly miscalculation? by M Rajshekhar for Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/environment/great-nicobar-project-campbell-bay-transshipment-terminal-galathea-bay-infrastructure-project/article69159231.ece and

Frontline issue dedicated to the Great Nicobar Project: https://frontline.thehindu.com/current-issue/article69207368.ece

India’s plans to ‘develop’ Great Nicobar island threatens its unique wildlife and indigenous peoples, by Sohel Sarkar: https://therevelator.org/great-nicobar-island/

Let's talk about the Great Nicobar Project, a Frontline podcast featuring Pankaj Sekhsaria and M Rajshekhar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJjplULyl1c

Pankaj Sekhsaria on India's Great Nicobar misadventure for Himal Southasian (video): https://youtu.be/Z5MDOZB_VTw?si=FRbA-8W69uoo2jRK

Great Nicobar project could destroy the island, by M Rajshekhar for Time magazine: https://time.com/7316182/modi-destroy-great-nicobar-island/
The crisis of Great Nicobar, a video feature: https://youtu.be/9BEEjI6dkVs?si=VxyRnM6VhThjjKnn

Great Nicobar Island Development Project — Wikipedia entry for basic facts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Nicobar_Island_Development_Project

Economics of the project
Great Nicobar port clears paperwork, but will money follow? by M Rajshekhar for Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/et-commentary/great-nicobar-port-clears-paperwork-but-will-money-follow/articleshow/120213450.cms

In Nicobar, ecology loses out, but who receives a windfall?, by Pankaj Sekhsaria, Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/in-nicobar-ecology-loses-out-but-who-receives-a-windfall-101741700135419.html

Great Nicobar gamble, risk it? by M Rajshekhar in the Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/epaper/delhicapital/2025/apr/12/satet-edit/great-nicobar-gamble-risk-it/articleshow/120217586.cms


Environmental / Social / Ecological Costs
Great Nicobar: Greenwashing a catastrophe, by T R Shankar Raman and Rohan Arthur: https://shankarraman.in/2025/05/22/great-nicobar-greenwashing-a-catastrophe/

The human cost of misgovernance in the Andamans by M Rajshekhar for The News Minute: https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/tnm-investigation-the-human-cost-of-misgovernance-in-the-andamans

On the biodiversity trail in Great Nicobar by M Rajshekhar: https://mrajshekhar.in/2025/02/13/pain-and-rapture-in-great-nicobar/

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Photojournalist Ed Kashi and documentary filmmaker Julie Winokur have spent decades telling urgent, human stories — from climate injustice to ageing, migration, and forgotten coastlines. In this episode of From the Marginlands, Arati and Prem talk to them about the art of long-form storytelling, the patience it demands, and why bearing witness matters now more than ever.

Show Notes:
Ed Kashi's website: https://www.edkashi.com/

Julie Winokur's Talking Eyes website: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/

0:37: About the award-winning The Sacrifice Zone: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/documentary/the-sacrifice-zone

2:09: Our first podcast with two-time Pulitzer winner Paul Salopek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_xqxD5splo&t=5s

2:18: Our podcast with author Nilanjana Roy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0L6GIJXs3k&t=4379s

2:53: About Ed Kashi: https://www.edkashi.com/about

3:47: Curse of the Black Gold, Ed Kashi's book on the Niger delta: https://www.amazon.in/Curse-Black-Gold-Years-Niger/dp/1576875474/

3: 59: Ageing in America by Ed Kashi: https://www.edkashi.com/books/aging-in-america and trailer: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/documentary/aging-in-america

4:49: Bring It To The Table, a Julie Winokur documentary: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/documentary/bring-it-to-the-table and https://bringit2thetable.org/learn-more#concept and a short Vimeo video: https://vimeo.com/channels/bringit2thetable/213743985?

5:00: Newest Americans, by Julie Winokur: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/documentary/newest-americans

12:21: Ed Kashi for National Geographic on life as a photojournalist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYobvn8wlE

12:41: When The Borders Bleed, Ed Kashi with a Christopher Hitchens intro: https://www.edkashi.com/books/when-the-borders-bleed-the-struggle-of-the-kurds

13:57: A Chat With The Kashis, National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/article/a-chat-with-the-kashis-a-photojournalism-family-juggles-chaos-and-calm

15:35: On Imogene Cunningham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imogen_Cunningham

16:42: Ward 81, by Mary Ellen Mark: https://www.maryellenmark.com/books/ward-81-voices

18:37: Alive and Dead, Ed and Julie's work from Cairo's City of the Dead: https://talkingeyesmedia.org/blog/city-of-the-dead

35:58: Newest Americans by Ed and Julie with Tim Raphael: https://newestamericans.com/

1:04:04: Sheila and Joe, a film about love that transcends prison bars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mL7FaRDJRw and https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2021/04/03/981437100/video-when-love-transcends-prison-a-couple-finds-each-other-through-letters

1:29:06: Empires of the Indus by Alice Albinia: https://archive.org/details/empiresofindusst0000albi_b2t4/mode/2up and an extract: https://www.alicealbinia.co.uk/books/empires-of-the-indus/empires-of-the-indus-extract

EOM

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In this episode, Dr. Abi Tamim Vanak discusses the misclassification of vital ecosystems as "wastelands" in India. Championing the importance of recognizing Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs), and the role of pastoralists in managing these landscapes, he emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Through the One Health approach he highlights the need for adaptive governance in policy-making. The conversation also touches on zoonotic diseases and the challenges faced in bridging the gap between scientific research and policy implementation.

Extensive show notes with links here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPddaNZP8So&t=3s

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In this episode, featuring ecologist Pradip Krishen, Prem and Arati explore the restoration of ecosystems. Pradip shares his journey and insights into the importance of native plants, observation, and community involvement in restoration efforts. The discussion highlights the challenges faced in restoration projects, the impact of government policies, and the need for ecological literacy among the public. The episode emphasizes that restoration goes well beyond a "tree planting project" -- it is a relationship with the land, requiring patience and a deep understanding of local ecologies.

Pradip Krishen Books:

Trees of Delhi: A Field Guide https://www.amazon.in/Trees-Delhi-Fie...
Jungle Trees of Central India: https://www.amazon.in/Jungle-Trees-Ce...

Pradip Krishen movies:

Massey Sahib: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massey_...

In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Whic...

Electric Moon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electri...

Show Notes:

5:03: A Scroll interview where Pradip talks of his beginnings, and much else:

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This episode focuses on the importance of environmental storytelling, emphasizing the need to go beyond surface-level reporting and explore deeper narratives that connect individual experiences to broader community and global contexts. Prem and Arati discuss various aspects of crafting compelling environmental stories, including research methods, data collection, and narrative techniques, while highlighting the significance of incorporating historical perspectives and indigenous knowledge. They also stress the importance of balancing crisis narratives with stories of resilience and community solutions, encouraging listeners to contribute to environmental storytelling by sharing their local experiences.

Show Notes:

2:27: Arati Kumar-Rao's reportage from the Thar desert: https://www.peepli.org/stories/miracle-of-sky-river/ and https://www.peepli.org/project/freshwater/

25:46: Engineering a Season of Floods by Amitangshu Acharya: https://flows.hypotheses.org/4151

36:45: When a River Runs Dry: https://www.peepli.org/stories/when-rivers-run-dry/

37:34: Farakka Barrage and The Nowhere People: https://dialogue.earth/en/climate/photo-essay-the-nowhere-people/

49:35: River At The Heart of the World -- reporting from Arunchal: https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/river-at-the-heart-of-the-world/

52:16: A Flash of Fin, a Glimmer of Hope -- Indus Dolphins in Harike: https://www.peepli.org/stories/indusdolphins/

1:08:27: The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics: https://www.amazon.in/DC-Comics-Guide-Writing/dp/0823010279/

1:12:21: Hunting With Dolphins: https://orionmagazine.org/article/hunting-with-dolphins/

1:26:39: The Measure of Things: https://www.themeasureofthings.com/

1:31:14: Blind Men and The Desert -- the story of the Indira Gandhi canal in Rajasthan: https://www.peepli.org/stories/blind-men-and-the-desert/

1:32:26: Disha, Calcutta-based organisation: https://dishaearth.org/fishing-communities/

1:45:12: Scroll down for the text from DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics: https://prempanicker.wordpress.com/category/to-read

A short list of books on environmental reporting:

What Is Sustainable Journalism? by Peter Berglez: Explores the intersection of journalism with sustainability issues, emphasizing ethical and practical approaches.

Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner: A classic on water policy and environmental history, often cited as essential for aspiring environmental journalists.

Game Wars by Marc Reisner: Focuses on wildlife enforcement and poaching, providing real-world examples of investigative environmental reporting.

Best Books Featuring Environmental Reporting

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson: The seminal work on pesticide dangers that sparked the modern environmental movement.

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert: Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on mass extinctions driven by human activity.

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein: Investigative analysis of climate change and economic systems.

The Overstory by Richard Powers: A novel blending fiction with real environmental reporting on deforestation and activism

Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard: Groundbreaking research on forest ecosystems presented through narrative journalism.

Marginlands by Arati Kumar-Rao: Explores distressed landscapes across the sub-continent

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In this episode, Prem and Arati discuss our warming oceans with Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist and winner of the prestigious National Science Award, in 2024. What are the implications of increasingly intense and frequent marine heat waves? Why should we care? Who bears accountability of historical emissions? What does the interconnectedness of oceans and climate mean for tackling this crisis? The conversation emphasizes the need for local adaptation strategies, comprehensive data collection, and the alarming challenges faced in climate science funding. Dr. Koll highlights the urgency of addressing these issues to mitigate the impacts of the rising temperature on ecosystems and human communities.

Show Notes:

6:19: The Delusion of Dykes by Arati Kumar-Rao: https://www.peepli.org/stories/delusion-of-dykes/

11:14: Dr Roxy Mathew Koll biography: https://www.climate.rocksea.org/people/roxy-mathew-koll/

Dr Koll on X: https://x.com/RockSea and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxy-koll/

20:05: India's updated Nationally Determined Contributions: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1847812

22:37: What is carbon capture? https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64723497

32:38: What is driving hydropower construction in Arunachal Pradesh?: https://dialogue.earth/en/energy/what-is-driving-hydropower-construction-in-arunachal-pradesh/

35:11: India's coal import rises 8% in FY24: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/indias-coal-import-rises-8-to-268-mt-in-fy24/articleshow/110049693.cms

37:08: What are marine heatwaves and why should we care?: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01806-9.pdf

37:08: A Down To Earth explainer on marine heatwaves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhjzQ0pmgnE

39:47: Rising sea surface temperatures driving loss of 14% corals since 2009: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/rising-sea-surface-temperatures-driving-loss-14-percent-corals-2009

40:58: Biology and ecology of coral mucus release: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022098111003510

43:07: What is the Pacific blob: https://www.nps.gov/articles/theblob.htm and impact on US fisheries: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/looking-back-blob-record-warming-drives-unprecedented-ocean-change

45:14: Discussion on the increasing occurrence of cyclones in the Arabian Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dX1-bftB-M

47:03: Trump administration further cuts NOAA funds: https://www.axios.com/2025/07/01/noaa-document-deep-trump-cuts and Trump cuts will have huge impact on global climate finance: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/trumps-usaid-cuts-will-have-huge-impact-on-global-climate-finance-data-shows

49:29: FAQs on El Nino and La Nina: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/el-nino-and-la-nina-frequently-asked-questions

54:55: El Nino may cause major drop in sardine catch: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/el-nino-may-cause-major-drop-in-sardine-catch-say-scientists/article26969279.ece and CMFRI report: https://eprints.cmfri.org.in/13767/

57:10: Dr Koll-led report on reduction of phytoplankton in the Indian Ocean: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287346786_A_reduction_in_marine_primary_productivity_driven_by_rapid_warming_over_the_tropical_Indian_Ocean

Please see the full show notes on YouTube:
https://www.yout

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In this episode, Prem Panicker and Arati Kumar-Rao discuss significant updates regarding environmental incidents off the coast of Kerala. The conversation then turns to The State Of India's Environment through Figures, a study released by the Center for Science & Environment (CSE) on June 5, 2025. Prem & arati focus on increasing Air pollution, Forest Diversion, Shrinking Farmlands, and our warming world and its implications.

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Prem on Substack: https://prempanicker.substack.com/

Our email: marginlands@gmail.com

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FromTheMarginlands

In this Episode:
State of India's environment in figures: https://csestore.cse.org.in/default/state-of-india-s-environment-2025-in-figures-ebook.html

State of India's environment 2025 (Full report): https://csestore.cse.org.in/default/books/state-of-india-s-environment-2025.html

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