Karmrath, Bhopal (2026)

01/09/2026

The cigarette may be disappearing from the lives of the young. But the kidneys may not be getting a break just yet. For generations, smoking and alcohol were familiar villains in health warnings. Ci******es were linked to lung and heart disease; excessive alcohol to liver damage. The kidneys rarely received the same attention, even though they filter waste from the blood, regulate fluids and electrolytes and help control blood pressure around the clock.

Now the lifestyle map is changing.
Gen Z is often seen as more health-conscious than previous generations. Younger adults in several countries are smoking less, while some are also drinking less or choosing to delay alcohol. Fitness trackers, nutrition apps and social-media wellness content have made health information almost impossible to escape. Could that give Gen Z healthier kidneys as it ages? Possibly — but only if avoiding the old risks is accompanied by healthier everyday habits. Because while the cigarette may be disappearing, a different set of kidney risks may be quietly taking its place.

The kidney damage behind a cigarette
Smoking is usually thought of as a lung problem. The kidneys, however, are highly dependent on healthy blood vessels. To***co exposure can contribute to vascular damage, oxidative stress, inflammation and high blood pressure. It is also associated with protein appearing in the urine — proteinuria — an important marker of kidney injury. The concern becomes greater when smoking is combined with diabetes or hypertension, two major drivers of chronic kidney disease. A nephrologist explains that smoking can worsen vascular injury and blood-pressure control and may accelerate kidney damage, particularly in people who already have diabetes, hypertension or established kidney disease. And there is a reason kidney damage can remain unnoticed for years: the kidneys are remarkably quiet when they are struggling. A person can feel perfectly healthy while kidney function is gradually declining.

Read the full article by clicking on the headline below.

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

27/08/2026

A proposed road-widening project between Ghazi Chauraha and Katra in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh has brought the fate of roadside trees into focus, with an environmental organisation claiming that around 400 mature trees could be affected by the project. The trees reportedly include native species such as mango, mahua, peepal, banyan, neem and jamun. The claim has prompted students and young volunteers to launch a campaign calling for the trees to be protected while allowing road development to continue. On Tuesday, students of Atreya Academy, led by environmentalist and Uttar Pradesh State Youth Award recipient Sundaram Tiwari, tied rakhi-like protection threads, or raksha sutras, around trees as part of the awareness campaign. Some students also hugged the trees to draw attention to their proposed removal.

The campaigners raised slogans including “Who will protect the trees? We will” and “If trees survive, life survives.” The campaign is not being presented as opposition to the road-widening project itself. Instead, the organisers are asking the administration to examine whether changes to the road design, alignment or construction plan could reduce the number of mature trees that would need to be removed.

Read the full article by clicking on the headline below.

सुन्दरम तिवारी

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

08/08/2026

For nearly eight decades, the global economy has been built on the principles of free trade and international cooperation. The establishment of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1947 and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995 encouraged countries to lower tariffs, expand trade and integrate their economies. The results were remarkable. According to the WTO, global merchandise trade grew from USD 5.2 trillion in 1995 to more than USD 24 trillion in 2023. Trade became one of the biggest drivers of economic growth, technological progress and poverty reduction across the world. However, the United States, once the strongest advocate of free trade, has increasingly adopted protectionist policies. Successive administrations have imposed tariffs on imports from China and several other countries in an effort to protect domestic industries, reduce trade deficits and strengthen national security. While these policies may benefit certain industries in the short run, they also challenge the principles of globalisation and weaken the authority of the World Trade Organization.

Read the detailed article on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/08/tariffs-trade-wars-and-fracturing-world.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

07/08/2026

Recently, a judgment by the Supreme Court of India and another by the Madhya Pradesh High Court have once again readdressed the plight of the victims of acid attacks and their family members, and the efficacy of schemes developed by the government to provide compensation and medical care to the victims of acid attacks. Despite strict regulations governing the circulation of acidic substances, the horrific crime of acid attacks is still pervasive and has not been eradicated completely.

In May, the Supreme Court of India, while hearing a writ petition, provided much-needed relief by expanding the definition of "acid attack victim" as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. In order to avail the benefits extended to disabled persons under the Act, an individual must come under the definition of physical disability as given under the Schedule of the Act. Although the term "acid attack victim" is mentioned under the Schedule, its definition had limited scope. The definition is: "(e) 'acid attack victims' means a person disfigured due to violent assaults by throwing of acid or similar corrosive substance." The legislature had good intent in defining the imaginable victims of acid attacks, but unfortunately, human atrocities have different shades. What if the acid was forcefully administered to be ingested (swallowed)? There is no external disfigurement, but the victim has suffered injuries akin to those of a victim with disfigurement. Therefore, there was a grey area in this definition which was causing trouble to a lot of acid attack victims, primarily those whose bodies were not disfigured externally but whose injuries were internal due to forceful ingestion. Because of this uncertain and non-exclusive definition, many victims of acid attacks were being denied benefits under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. This lacuna was rectified when the Hon'ble Court directed that the expression "acid attack victims" shall be construed to include victims to whom acid has been administered. It shall further include those who have suffered internal injuries, irrespective of whether there is any external disfigurement of the body.

Read the detailed story on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/08/acid-attack-victims-rights-recent-judgments.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

24/07/2026

The Other Side of India's Growth Story

Writes Ramendra Mishra

India is frequently celebrated as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. With annual GDP growth hovering between 6 and 8 percent, policymakers often present these figures as evidence of a strong and resilient economy. India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP and is expected to become the third largest in the coming years. However, economists have long argued that GDP measures the size of an economy, not necessarily the quality of its growth. A country may produce more goods and services while large sections of its population continue to experience stagnant incomes, unemployment and low productivity. This distinction is crucial because growth and development are not the same. One of the biggest reasons behind India’s impressive GDP performance is the exceptional growth of the Information Technology sector. While this has been a remarkable success story, it also raises an important economic question. Is India’s GDP growth becoming increasingly concentrated in a few high-performing sectors while the rest of the economy remains structurally weak?

Read the detailed story on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/07/the-other-side-of-indias-growth-story.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

16/07/2026

What's in a last name?

Writes Tanvi Naik

Living in the world almost requires a huge amount of effort, energy, and most importantly, WILL. I say will because there are millions of people on this planet earth and yet we choose to interact with only a sum. Now, this sum may be deliberate or even unintentional (like having to deal with a boss, or a co-worker). Will passes up the effort and energy so as to understand the OTHER and very very superficially set afoot in their shoes. We are quick to judge them as time is fleeting.

We introduce ourselves (as it's said, “first impressions are the last impressions”), but do we really introduce ourselves? You summarise a person's introduction through very narrow archetypes like the place of their birth, their profession, their class, the weather (I don't really think why that is important but yes, that is a crucial question). But these questions just showcase a shadow of their shoes floating across the water. The real game begins when their last name is revealed.

Social interactions are so ingrained in our DNA that we cannot avoid having at least a zillion times to occur in our lifetimes. Small talks, we call them…but what are they really? A way to actively map them and assess them to our understanding of our world vs theirs. Metaphorically speaking, a way to assess both ours and their shoe sizes to analyze whether both can walk simultaneously towards a shared goal/path.

Read the detailed story on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/07/whats-in-last-name.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

16/07/2026

Understanding Addiction in Gen Z: Causes, Consequences and the Path to Recovery

By N. Nandini (Psychologist)

The onset of smartphones into the market has opened Pandora's box of troubles for Gen X. Children, from infancy, are exposed to these gadgets, and the launch of touchscreens has made humans addicted to them, giving them instant stimulation. The fear of missing out is driving them into various psychological problems like anxiety, sleeplessness, suspicion, etc.
Gen X is living their lives on smartphones and tablets, and these devices are potentially luring youngsters into the world of fantasy and dangerous substances/things to explore, giving continuous highs in dopamine and adrenaline, which is forming a dangerous loop in which they are becoming tangled.
The growing trend of boredom, risk-taking attitude, the feeling of being known to the world, and the feeling of being special is driving Gen X to try different/various things and substances for fun.
What starts as fun or recreation soon becomes regular usage for relaxation, which, in turn, quickly develops into addiction. More youngsters are trying various substances like alcohol, w**d, ci******es, and various types of synthetic drugs. Stress among youth due to their surroundings, constant peer pressure, academics, disturbed families, culture, lack of parental monitoring, curiosity to experiment with drugs, lack of awareness about the dangers of drug use, and constant comparisons are making them seek different types of intoxicating substances and excessive usage of gadgets, which are easily accessible to them.
Read the detailed article on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/07/understanding-addiction-in-gen-z-causes-consequences-and-the-path-to-recovery.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

07/07/2026

Kerala has unveiled a strategic roadmap outlining sector-wise interventions across transport, buildings, industries, agriculture, waste, and land use, aimed at helping the state achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and 100% renewable energy supply by 2040.

The report, titled the Carbon Neutral Kerala 2050 Pathway, is the result of a joint effort between the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Kerala, and Vasudha Foundation, a climate and energy think-tank. It was developed following extensive stakeholder consultations, drawing inputs from various line departments, industry partners, and civil society groups across the state.

According to the report, Kerala already has a relatively low per capita emission of 0.64 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, compared to the national average of 2.46 tCO2e, giving the state an opportunity to move from climate ambition to implementation.

Read the detailed article on www.karmrath.com

https://www.karmrath.com/2026/07/kerala-charts-roadmap-to-carbon-neutrality-by-2050-100-percent-renewable-energy-by-2040.html

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

06/07/2026

Gen Z Mental Health: Why the Young Brain Needs More Support Than Ever

By Dr Joy Mounica, MBBS, MD, DM (Neurology)

It is a scene playing out in homes across the country. A teenager is still scrolling through social media well past midnight despite an exam the next morning. A college student who once excelled academically now struggles to concentrate. A young professional, barely a few years into a promising career, feels constantly anxious, emotionally drained and unable to switch off from work. Outwardly, they may appear healthy. Yet beneath the surface, many are silently battling stress, anxiety, poor sleep and emotional exhaustion.

Generation Z, those born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s, is often described as the most connected, informed and technologically advanced generation. Ironically, it is also one of the most psychologically vulnerable. Across clinics, schools and workplaces, mental health concerns among young people are becoming increasingly common. As a neurologist, I am also witnessing this shift. Young adults frequently consult for headaches, dizziness, poor concentration, forgetfulness, sleep disturbances and the now familiar complaint of "brain fog." While these symptoms understandably raise fears of neurological illness, careful evaluation often points to another culprit, chronic psychological stress.

Read the full story here:

Karmrath News is an independent magazine delivering fearless investigative journalism on India's environment, wildlife, and rural development.

19/05/2026

Four different states, three surprising verdicts, one expected outcome. The election results announced earlier this month were nothing short of a political roller-coaster ride. The eyes of 1.4 billion people were fixed on these results because they will drastically shape the lives of millions.

But how did these parties manage to win?

Assam was perhaps the easiest to predict. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s popularity, combined with a weak opposition, had already tilted the field heavily in the BJP’s favour. But the real shocks came elsewhere.

In West Bengal, Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for the very first time, managed to come to power after years of aggressive campaigning and the hugely controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, under which millions of names were removed from voter rolls. Critics alleged the exercise disproportionately affected opposition-leaning voters.

Tamil Nadu delivered another surprise. Actor Vijay not only launched a new political party but defeated MK Stalin’s DMK government, under which per capita income had surged, and the state continued outperforming much of India economically and socially. Though many credited political strategist Prashant Kishor for Vijay’s rise, the questions around the mythology built around election consultants have also become louder. After failing to win even one seat in his own state, Bihar, and after the humiliating collapse of parties that heavily depended on IPAC-style campaigning, doubts around how much these consultants actually matter now are no longer unreasonable.

And then came Kerala, the result that made many happy while leaving the country’s shrinking communist base deeply disappointed. Rahul Gandhi’s Congress alliance finally defeated CPI(M), ending the Left’s last surviving fortress in India.

Read the detailed story by clicking on the link below.

By Yash Sadhak Shrivastava, Prateek Giri Goswami, Chandra Pratap Tiwari Four different states, three surprising verdicts, one expected outco...

Karmrath

01/09/2026

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