WWF India Kerala State Office

23/04/2026

*** Around 13 confirmed dead, many body parts recovered, many serious with burn injuries .............. the unexpected and disastrous outcome of the fireworks accident which occurred in Thrissur in connection with the upcoming Thrissur Pooram.
*** When you switch on the TV to watch such news, it is so appalling to watch our Malayalam media channels add so much masala to such news by putting up additional graphics of fires, explosions, etc., created using AI or whatnot in the background. And it is the same in the case of reporting the war situation also - firings, bombings, tanks, fighter jets, etc. fill the screen.
*** I was aghast to see the immediate response coming as scrolling marquees on the visual media - Rs 2 lakhs for the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured............. and then the next day our Cabinet announced Rs 14 lakhs for the dead, free treatment, etc. Is that the price of the lives of such people who were engaged as cheap labour in this fireworks industry? And then a Judicial Inquiry, which is going to take years to finally come up with a 3000 page report.
*** When we critically analyse the photos and videos, we can clearly understand that this was no accident, but a disaster in the waiting. Why so?
(1) The location of the fireworks unit was so wrong - the only condition was that it was located right in the middle of agricultural land.
(2) The buildings housing the fireworks unit were so shabby that they did not satisfy any standards or safety criteria.
(3) It was so obvious that in such shabby buildings, there would not have been any proper, basic, strong doors to prevent any illegal entry, windows for proper ventilation, wiring, and lighting, let alone required fire-fighting/ safety equipment installed.
(4) The people engaged were unskilled and untrained.
(5) The people engaged were not aware of or bothered by the occupational hazards and were handling the materials without any protective overalls, masks, gloves, etc.
(6) The people engaged with were not provided with the needed equipment or infrastructure to handle sensitive fireworks. The majority were seen working casually, sitting on the floor, and working with their bare hands.
(7) Most of the men employed here would have had the habit of smoking ci******es/ bidis during breaks. What warnings were given regarding this?
(8) Everybody knew that the temperature was going up in the State. The Contractor and the people engaged here knew fireworks were very sensitive. So what precautionary steps/ safety measures were taken in this regard?

A few very important questions to ponder over are:
(1) Was the Local Self-Government Institution or the Panchayat not aware of such a dangerous setup within their limits?
(2) Was the Pollution Control Board aware about this sensitive setup in this area and was mandatory clearances taken?
(3) Was the local Police Station and the local Fire Station aware about such a sensitive operation within their limits?
(4) Is the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority bothered/ aware about such sensitive setups across the State functioning violating all norms?

23/04/2026

The temperature is soaring in Kerala
*** The other day, when I was talking to my cousin brother, who was at my sister's place in San Diego, California, US, I was telling him the very different Kerala he would see and experience if he were to visit Kerala now, after almost a gap of 12-15 years, especially the change in the local weather conditions. He immediately checked the local temperature in San Diego and told me it was around 30 degrees Celsius. He wouldn't believe me that some parts of Kerala are now witnessing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. He was asking how people could live in those temperatures.
*** Yes, the temperature has crossed the dangerous 40 degrees and is inching up with each passing day, making life really miserable. The heat has become so unbearable that traditional fans are no use, as they circulate the same hot air. Everyone is fitting air-conditioners, even if it is burning holes in their pockets with the electricity bills.
*** The direct and indirect impacts of this increase in heat, with short and long-term consequences, from across the State are being reported in print and visual media:
(1) There are reports of increasing incidents of human-snake conflicts these days reported from across the State, which experts are attributing to increased temperature in the open and snakes trying to move to cooler areas.
(2) Natural freshwater sources are fast drying up with the increase in temperature and lack of summer showers.
(3) Vast extents of land are drying and cracking up under the scorching sun
(4) Human health is suffering from dehydration, fatigue, sunburn, sunstroke, etc.
(5) Agriculture of any sort, be it the cultivation of Pineapple in Thodupuzha or Cardamom in Idukki, is hit badly by the temperature rise, and farmers are incurring huge economic losses.
(6) The yield of fish from the ocean is affected by the temperature changes, and many fishermen are reluctant to venture out into the open sea for fishing because of unexpected changes in the wind and ocean currents. Hence, their livelihoods are affected. Demand for fish is going high, whereas supply is going down.
(7) The tourism industry in Kerala is affected badly, with tourists opting not to travel to the State under such harsh weather conditions. Boating in Periyar is likely to be stopped soon with dropping water levels (on the other hand, houseboat operations in Alappuzha are already hit badly due to LPG shortage).
(8) Biodiversity is affected adversely with native vegetation withering under the increasing heat and more vigorous invasives thriving well on land and in the water.
(9) The construction industry is hit badly as outdoor labour is not allowed from 11am to 3pm to avoid direct exposure to intense sunlight.
(10) Fire incidents and related accidents, like that which happened in Thrissur, are likely to occur more as temperatures soar.

Global Warming and Climate Change is Real, and very clearly human-induced. Coupled with that are other effects like El Nino.

The approach is three-fold: Mitigation, Adaptation, Resilience. Many suggestions/ solutions are available under these three heads. We need to adopt them. The time for action is now.

21/04/2026

*** April 22 - tomorrow, we are coming to yet another Earth Day of 2026.
*** In spite of all the plunder that we do on this Planet, it continues to stand strong and provides us with all the immeasurable values, functions, and services that sustain us.
*** The theme for Earth Day 2026 is "Our Power, Our Planet". Yes, we have the power to break or build. The choice is in our hands. Think about just yourself, or others? Think about just today, or tomorrow, too?
*** Are we able to wish a Happy Earth Day 2026? Happiness is based on the happenings around. Based on what is happening around, there is no scope for such happy wishes.
*** But then also - if not for us, for our children and for the future generations, let us be optimistic (see the glass as half full) and do our bit for the Planet.
*** For the current situation that Kerala is in, a few things that you can consider starting for Earth Day 2026 are:
- Wetlands are fast disappearing, and with climate change, water availability is going to be a major issue. Let us adopt all measures possible in our lifestyle to reduce our water footprint.
- With the increasing heat, power usage is going up. Let us start working on putting up rooftop solar to move from a consumer to a prosumer. Also, let us switch to more energy-efficient equipment.
- Let us try to eat fresh and locally available food to reduce our food footprint. If possible, start a backyard or rooftop kitchen garden.
- Let us adopt Bring Your Own Bottle and Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) during our shopping and purchases.
- Let us start segregation of waste at source and ensure proper disposal through recognised channels. And also, put a full stop to the burning of waste.
- Let us try to reduce or avoid single-use plastics (SUPs) in the form of plastic straws, plastic carry bags, plastic cutlery, disposable plastic water bottles, etc.
- Let us start avoiding waste in the form of packings, wrappings, etc., at the shop itself.

20/04/2026

*** The Hindu newspaper reports the death of an eight-year old boy due to a snakebite in Thrissur. His elder brother has also been bitten and is in critical condition. Neighbours and relatives searching the house found the snake coiled beneath the bed's pillow. The article clearly attributes the rising heat to pushing snakes to take refuge in cooler areas within homes.
*** This news should not be taken lightly, but it is a warning to all, both rural and urban dwellers. With the increasing heat outside, there are good chances that snakes will try to find refuge in cooler areas, especially within homes, creating more incidents of conflict with humans.
*** Hence, all of us need to take a very preventive approach. A few tips are:
- Do not leave footwear, especially shoes, outside in the open during the night. Please keep them inside closed footwear stands.
- When wearing footwear in the morning, especially shoes, make sure to shake them well, check the inside, and ensure safety.
- Clear w**d growth and other dense vegetation in and around home and kitchen gardens within your compound
- Do not leave heaps of leaf litter/ coconut fronds piled up around your home compound. They provide cool places for snakes to rest.
- Do not leave construction waste/ rocks/ stones piled up within your home compound.
- Within the house, do not keep any items stacked on the floor without moving them for a long time. Such places provide cool, safe shelter for snakes.
- If you have a rat problem at home, ensure you employ needed rodent control. Rats attract snakes.
- Ensure that there are no large gaps below doors in the house opening to the outside. They provide easy entrance to small snakes, especially during the night.
- Remake your bed before going to sleep at night by removing the pillows, relaying the bedsheets, etc.
- Ensure that drains from bathrooms and washbasins are covered well and there are no openings for small reptiles to sneak in.
- Sheds outside the home, where we usually keep all the old and unused stuff, and also pile up coconut, etc., are safe havens for snakes. So be very careful when going into such places.
*** Remember, not all snakes are venomous, and it is not necessary to encounter and kill them all. If you suspect the presence of a snake within the home compound or within the house, please contact trained Snake Rescuers who are available across the State under the Kerala Forests & Wildlife Department Sarpa initiative. Do not try to handle them on your own.

18/04/2026

*** "Sneha Theruvu" by Koottam, Volunteer for India at the cultural street of the Capital City, Manaveeyam Veedhi, today from 4.00-10.00 pm.
*** We as WWF-India also participating by putting up our exhibition stall showcasing our various citizen science initiatives under the People4Planet/ Volunteer program.

16/04/2026

*** THEOSA is the Alumni Association of Mar Theophilus Training College. This year, 2026, is the college's 70th anniversary celebration. To commemorate that, THEOSA brought together old students and faculty and their families for a Nature Walk at the Thiruvananthapuram Museum & Zoo Compound on 11 April from 7.00 AM to 9.00 AM.
*** WWF and its members were invited to lead the walk and share their experiences with nature conservation and environmental protection. Anushreedha Sivanandan, Project Officer, led the initiative and talked about how she was fascinated by nature from a young age and how she ended up finding a space in WWF-India and work that is aligned with her interests.
*** Abhirami and Arjun, who are WWF Volunteers and part of THEOSA were also present to coordinate the activities. Anu and Abhirami also explained to the participants the birds and other biodiversity present in the campus and their significance in the ecosystem. Many individuals familiar with the WWF-India Kerala State Office were present in the group, namely Abraham Thomas Sir and Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan Sir.

16/04/2026

*** The Externship Programme offered by Loyola School to its students, mainly from IX to XII, is a very unique, innovative, and impactful initiative. As the students are writing their board exams in Xth and then thinking about the various options for further study, and also when they are writing their boards in XII and thinking about various options for their professions ahead, the exposure that they get through this Externship Programme with hands-on experience is absolutely great.
*** Based on the interest of the students, they are divided into groups and sent to institutions to visit and see the institutions and their infrastructure, hear from the experts on the various ongoing work, and understand their impact on people and planet.
*** This would really help the participating students to make informed choices and decisions about their future, take full ownership of it, and cut their way forward through the various challenges that may come on the way.
*** WWF-India Kerala State Office has been part of the Loyola Externship Programme since last year. This time, we engaged around 10 students last Friday, 10th April. The Nature Trail arranged inside the Museum & Zoo Compound was led by A.K. Sivakumar, Senior Education Officer. Post the trail, Renjan Mathew Varghese, State Director, spoke to the students about the vision and mission of WWF and its work globally, nationally, and in the state, covering projects for conservation of species and landscapes. Anushreedha Sivanandan, Project Officer, spoke to the students on the various environmental education programs that we are offering, targeting various sections of society, and also on how the participating students can be part of various citizen science initiatives under the People4Planet/ Volunteers programme of WWF-India.
*** The Principal and the Teachers of Loyola School came to the venue and appreciated our inputs by handing over a formal Thank You Letter.

29/03/2026

*** Thiruvananthapuram observes Earth Hour 2026 with the Musical Evening, Switch Off, and Candle Light Vigil with people's participation at the Band Stand within the Thiruvananthapuram Museum & Zoo Compound.
*** As part of the iconic switch-offs of landmarks, the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Metropolitan Church Palayam, Lulu Mall, and commercial establishments like Pulimoottil Silks switched off and made their endorsement to Earth Hour 2026.

28/03/2026

Earth Hour 2026 Cyclothon in Thiruvananthapuram today morning with Indus Cycling Embassy starting from Manaveeyam - Statue Jn - Press Club - Kerala Legislative Assembly and back flagged off by Dr Harikumar, Director, Energy Management Centre, Govt of Kerala. About 60 cyclists participated with great enthusiasm. Prakash Gopinath, Founder Trustee, Indus Cycling Embassy, led the Cyclothon.

28/03/2026

Finally, we have come to the much-awaited Saturday, 28th March 2026 – Earth Hour is being observed today with impactful initiatives across the globe, including India and Kerala. Over the past week, we have been learning about the Ecological Footprint. Today, sharing the last video in the series, on Goods and Services Footprint. Please watch, share, and reshare. Assessing our Ecological Footprint and making changes in our lives towards a sustainable lifestyle goes beyond Earth Hour.

https://youtu.be/PAShZZB0HSw

Finally, we have come to the much-awaited Saturday, 28th March 2026 – Earth Hour is being observed today with impactful initiatives across the globe, includi...

27/03/2026

Earth Hour 2026 Institutional Campaign @ Kerala Institute of Travel and Tourism Studies (KITTS), Thycaud, today, 27th March 12.30 pm

27/03/2026

Earth Hour 2026 Institutional Campaign @ Govt Teacher's Training College, Thycaud today, 27th March 11.00 am