FELLOWSHIPS AWARDED
Desertification in India is today not confined to arid
ecosystems. Its menacing geological spread is laying waste lands in newer regions in the
country -- far beyond the conventional hot and cold deserts. Yet there is very little
national attention paid to this insidious phenomenon that translates into long-term loss
in land resource potential. And the debate on accelerating desertification putting other
ecosystems and people under stress is non-existent.
The second CSE Media Fellowships on
"Discovering The Desert" (December 15, 2002 – March 15, 2003)
attempted to bring this issue into the center of the national discourse through news
stories, articles and features and provide the much-needed impetus to understand its
implications. The idea was to generate an all-India picture collating facts and figures on
crucial issues like drought, famine, soil infertility, crisis in grazing lands,
plight of nomadic tribes, decline in forest cover and escalating water shortages.Our advertisements for the fellowships
drew an encouraging response from across the country. We were particularly heartened by
the interest, enthusiasm and unstinting support of editors who were keen to force this
issue into national attention. After a stringent screening process, an eminent panel of
jury has short-listed 10 journalists from different parts of the country.
| Names and
principle themes of study of selected journalists |
Bharat Dogra, freelance writer, Grassroots,
New Delhi: Famine, food security and poverty in western Rajasthan
Jayant Singh Tomar, Bureau Chief, Dainik Jagaran,
Morena (Madhya Pradesh): Traditional systems of environmental management in Bhind
Morena
K Venkateshwarlu, Special Correspondent, The Hindu,
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh): Desertification and resultant fall-outs in Anantapur
and Mehboobnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh
Myda Narayan Reddy, Science and Environment Reporter, Vaartha,
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh): Drought and desertification in Anantapur, Adilabad
and Bidar
Rajesh Sinha, Correspondent, The Hindustan Times,
Jaipur (Rajasthan): Disappearence of the Luni river in Rajasthan and the impacts
of introduction of modern technology on people and ecosystems
Ravsaheb Pujari, Sub-Editor, Sakal, Kolhapur
(Maharashtra): Issue of soil salinity in Maharashtra and Karnataka
Satananda Bhattacharjee, Correspondent, Assam Tribune,
Guwahati (Assam): Aspects of jhum cultivation in the north-east
Tashi Morup, Correspondent, Kashmir Times
(Ladakh): Situation in Changthang – the threats to its traditional
inhabitants from eco-tourism
Vijay Thakur, Correspondent, The Statesman,
Jaipur (Rajasthan): Politics of drought and do a case study of the IGNP
Vinay M, Senior Reporter, New Indian Express,
Bangalore (Karnataka): Trends of desertification in Chamrajanagar and Mandya. |
