Mahseer, known as the 'river tiger,' is an iconic freshwater species of significant ecological and cultural importance across Asia. Despite high reverence for these giant fish, they face a serious crisis. A new study conducted in three Indian states—Karnataka, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh—revealed that while most participants want to conserve Mahseer, only a few believe they have the real capacity to do so.
Researchers from the University of Transdisciplinary Health and Technology Sciences (TDU) and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) found that the biggest obstacle to the survival of these species is the gap between the desire to help and the ability to take action. These species are approaching biological and social extinction.
The work focused on five specific Mahseer species: Tor khudree (Deccan Mahseer), Tor putitora (Golden Mahseer), Tor remadevii (Humped/Orange-spotted Mahseer), Tor mosal (Mosal Mahseer), and Neolissochilus hexagonolepis (Chocolate Mahseer). The research was carried out in three states known for Mahseer populations: Karnataka (Cauvery River basin), Assam (Brahmaputra system), and Uttar Pradesh (Himalayan mountain rivers).
The team conducted about 160 interviews and several focus groups with various groups of people, including local fishermen, tribal leaders, government officials, and scientists. Reflective thematic analysis was used to analyze the conversations. To understand the reasons for difficulties in conservation efforts, researchers integrated three conceptual frameworks: Conservation Planning Frameworks (CPF), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and Social Values (SV).
CPF serves as the structural basis of the study, offering a phased approach to conservation management through three stages: situation assessment, decision-making, and implementation, as well as monitoring and evaluation. It focuses on 'what' and 'how' groups and institutions carry out conservation activities. TPB posits that for a person to perform an action, they must meet three conditions: have a positive attitude toward the goal, feel social pressure to act, and, most importantly, feel actual behavioral control, which includes access to time, resources, favorable conditions, and decision-making autonomy.
The Social Values framework defines the deeper normative foundations of human decisions regarding nature. The study showed that traditional conservation methods fail because they ignore the human factor. Surveys revealed a significant gap: local communities living near the rivers and best understanding the fish often feel alienated from centralized governance. Decisions were made in distant government offices without considering the opinion of those affected, leading to feelings of helplessness and sometimes open conflict between groups.
Currently, conservation efforts often concentrate solely on the biological needs of the organism, such as water quality, habitat, or breeding habits, using only CPF and ignoring the people who share this environment. By integrating TPB and the analysis of Social Values with CPF, researchers were able to reframe the problem more effectively. Instead of simply asking about people's sympathy for Mahseer, they studied the deeply rooted moral obligations and cultural identities associated with this fish. This approach allowed them to identify systemic issues, such as the lack of inter-departmental coordination, which prevented various government agencies from coordinating their actions.
Scientists argue that to save Mahseer, India must transition to a co-management model. This means moving away from a system where the government simply gives orders to a system where local and tribal communities are granted legal authority and resources to manage their own river sections. This bottom-up approach will transform local residents from passive observers into active protectors of the ecosystem. Furthermore, the study recommends changing communication, suggesting that conservation messages should be based on the local culture and traditions of each region, rather than using general scientific terminology that may not resonate with people on the ground.
Moreover, the integrated approach used in this study offers a more effective conservation tool than traditional methods. It provides a detailed understanding of the personal motives, cultural identities, and moral obligations behind individual behavior. Such a holistic structure can enable the development of technically sound interventions that are socially acceptable, promote coexistence between humans and wildlife, and are more likely to catalyze sustainable behavioral change.
Eskom technicians conducted an operation to dismantle an illegally installed transformer in the Lion Park area, near Pietermaritzburg, on Wednesday. The company's arrival was met by residents who blocked the MR477 road with trash, including burning tires, broken bottles, and large tree branches.
The state energy company Eskom, which received an order to disconnect from the High Court of Pietermaritzburg, acted accompanied by well-armed police and private security guards. The goal of the operation was to remove transformers and cables that the community used to steal about 14 million rand per year.
Some residents who woke up early in the morning to prevent this operation claim that the police shot them with rubber bullets during the protests. The operation began with a technical meeting between Eskom and the police at the company's offices in Mkhondeni, after which a convoy of vehicles headed to the disconnection site.
Eskom stated that it disconnected electricity that had been connected to more than 1400 households over the past 12 years. An Eskom representative, Dadevabo Mbele, expressed hope for no resistance, noting that he does not believe thieves would want to continue stealing, nor does he think that KZN residents possess such behavior. He emphasized that Eskom's task is to recoup the costs of energy generation, as the company is not commercial.
Eskom made it clear that any resistance would not stop the operation, and residents understood that they would be without electricity for cooking and using heaters in cold winter weather for some time. Other residents complained that this would deprive them of watching the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina on Wednesday evening.
Modern homes relying on illegally connected electricity are built on land that was transferred to the Azibuye Emasisweni Amaqhamu Public Trust after legal expropriation from various farmers. Residents reported that since the settlement began on this land around 2018, they have applied for grid connections and even collected money to pay Eskom.
However, Mbele refuted this, stating that Eskom could not connect electricity to houses built on land that had not yet been rezoned as residential. She explained that the land is zoned as agricultural, not residential, and therefore Eskom had not interacted with the trust. Mbele reported that Eskom offered the trust the option of bulk supply as a viable alternative while the trust handled rezoning.
The proposed bulk supply involved connecting all residents to one meter, and residents would have to contribute monthly to pay the common bill through the trust. Mbele added that Eskom presented information to the court regarding numerous interactions with the trust, and the trust is aware of the proposed bulk supply solution.
Nevertheless, some residents rejected the bulk supply, fearing paying one price regardless of how much energy they consumed. Eskom's Manager of Industry and Stakeholder Relations, Joyce Zingosi, reported that Eskom received an urgent application from a group calling themselves the residents of Lion Park on June 4. Zingosi noted that Eskom intended to object to this ruling, and on June 5, 2026, the Pietermaritzburg High Court dismissed the case and awarded costs to Eskom.
The trust chairman, Mlungisi Khanyezi, stated that Eskom gave the trust too short a period to appeal the disconnection application. He reported that they tried to convince Eskom to connect the residents, but the company only connected about five houses and closed the channel last year, providing them with court orders on Monday, which was one day's notice. Khanyezi stated that his lawyers are preparing documents in the High Court to stop this chaos.
Khanyezi insists that the land status is irrelevant to Eskom, as they are the landowners, and Eskom should provide electricity if permitted by the landowners. He also noted that in the court documents, the trust's lawyers told the court that Eskom did not give the trust permission to object to the disconnection application. Khanyezi stressed that he is not against removing illegal connections but demands immediate provision of legal connections to the people.
One woman, seen throwing stones onto the road to block the Eskom and police convoy, said she was heading to work as a nurse around 5 am when she learned about the impending disconnection. She returned home to change out of her uniform and joined the protesters who were already blocking the road.
Sinokule Mthembu recounted that after many years of living without electricity, she acquired transformers and cables and found electricians to illegally connect to the Eskom network. She questioned how one could remain without electricity while being a voter in South Africa and possessing human rights. Her main concern was that she would not be able to prepare bottled milk for her baby. Mthembu added that they had repeatedly applied for electricity and even paid money, and if politicians do not help them, then they do not need to involve them in local elections.
In Lachen, located in Sikkim, local residents demonstrate a commitment to sustainable development principles by checking vehicles for single-use plastic bottles before trips to Gurudongmar Lake. This measure aims to protect one of India's highest glacial lakes from plastic pollution.
This environmental care is part of a broader endeavor by Sikkim, which became the first state in India to ban plastic bags back in 1998. In Lachen, nature protection is viewed not just as government policy but as a way of life, supported through community participation and the development of responsible tourism.
In addition to the ban, the village uses eco-friendly alternatives, such as bamboo bottles. These practices show how it is possible to combine nature conservation with tourism development.
Following heavy rains, a landslide occurred at the Moshi landfill in Pune, trapping about 20 people. In 2018, IAS officer Ashish Singh faced a similar problem in Indore: he needed to remove 1.3 million tons of garbage from an area spanning 100 acres.
Accumulated historical waste poses a serious threat to public health, safety, and the environment. In 2018, 1.3 million tons of waste were present at the Devguradia landfill in Indore over an area of 100 acres.
Residents of nearby houses daily faced unbearable odors, smoke from frequent fires, and pollution. Instead of hiring contractors, the Municipal Corporation led this mission independently, renting equipment, setting daily targets, and monitoring every stage of the work.
The team employed bio-mining and bioremediation methods, using biological solutions to treat decades-old waste. Subsequently, heavy machinery separated plastic, metal, textiles, gravel, and soil. The extracted plastic was sent to recycling plants, cement factories, and road projects, while the cleaned land found new uses. By extracting value from the waste, the city managed to ensure that only 15% of the material was sent to the scientific landfill.
This project, which was expected to take years, was completed in just six months, allowing for the removal of 1.3 million tons of garbage and the return of 100 acres of valuable urban land to use. Furthermore, the project cost surprised experts: initial contractor estimates were nearly 65 crore rupees, but Indore completed all the work for less than 10 crore rupees, demonstrating that innovation can save both public funds and the environment.
