Partha Sarathi Biswas

2 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Partha Sarathi Biswas

For the present summer season (March 1- May 31) Maharashtra reported 86.9 mm of rainfall as compared to its normal 19.7 mm. Districts of Parbhani, Nanded, Hingoli, Pune, Satara have reported large excess rainfall. While the rainfall has been welcomed by most, it has also led to large scale damage especially to the horticulture crops. Reports say that 29,483 hectare of crops, especially horticulture crops like Mango, pomegranate, orange, sweet lime and vegetables have sustained damage.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Partha Sarathi Biswas

Although touted as one of the oldest known oilseed, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) has slowly fallen out of commercial farming for more than one reason. Farmers like Lad said they decided to go for crops like wheat in the rabi season instead of safflower in the past as the per acre yields of the latter were very low. Sold as a premium cooking oil, mostly in boutique cold pressed oil, the seed is used for medicinal purposes also. India produces 35,000-45,000 tonnes of safflower seeds annually.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Partha Sarathi Biswas

April 2025 for Pune was the month which saw the highest number of days when temperatures breached the 40 degrees mark. The average temperature of April was 39.4 degrees which made it the third hottest April in the last 10 years. By all accounts the city has seen hotter Aprils in the last 10 years but the present April is marked by the presence of residual heat as well as heat waves in nearby places. During the last month (April) Pune has seen 14 days when the maximum temperature crossed 40 degrees.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Partha Sarathi Biswas

Even as supply dries up, the demand for economical housing remains high in most metro cities. A study by property consultant ANAROCK showed that the stock of economic housing priced at less than Rs 40 lakh has dipped by 28 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. In its report which was released on Monday afternoon, Anarock said that at the end of the first quarter of the current calendar year, Pune reported unsold stock of 14,686 units as compared to 20,522 stock left post March 31,2024.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Partha Sarathi Biswas

Over 100 students of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) have signed an open letter in support of Chancellor Sanjeev Sanyal. The letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, states, “Your (Sanyal) work as an economic historian, policy advisor and public intellectual has inspired countless young minds across India.