India Ink Vol. 5: What Tesla’s Powerwall can do for India, and other top stories

The top stories on India and beyond, every Friday afternoon.

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Read of the week

Astronaut Terry Virts is on the international space station, and he’s been posting Vines of India as it looks from 250 miles above. The Better India collected the best ones for your viewing pleasure.

Elsewhere, 10 top Indian scientists gave the journal Nature their take on what India’s research priorities should be, including waste management, data on water resources, and making science an attractive career.

+ Agriculture: Off-season vegetable production is rising in Himachal Pradesh, meaning higher incomes for farmers, according to the government. The government credits, well, themselves for putting an emphasis on organic farming, offering free mobile soil testing, and launching a micro-irrigation scheme.

The monsoon is expected on-time this year, hitting the southern state of Kerala on June 1st. Rainfall may be below normal, however. (via Times of India)

+ Energy: Can Tesla’s Powerwall battery solve India’s power crisis? Blackouts, power cuts, and energy scarcity have long been facts of life, so could advanced energy storage (like the Powerwall) make a difference? While this article highlights some challenges, such as a steep price and difficulty of installation in widespread informal housing, ultimately “Musk’s vision is clearly the future and will benefit countries such as India.” (via Scroll.in)

+ Environment: Super gross toxic foam is pouring out of a lake in Bangalore. “The foam represents the presence of raw sewage well outside of a proper treatment plant.” Yuck. (via The Blaze)

+ Entrepreneurship: 8 myths of entrepreneurship exposed, including the myth that “entrepreneurship is fun.” (via Capital FM of Kenya)

+ Health: India has met only 4/10 health goals in its Millennium Development Plan, according to the World Health Organization. It’s also made virtually no progress on another 4. (via The Hindu)

+ Housing: This Forbes India writer’s vision for the future of Mumbai includes “enhanced global lifestyles,” “iconic structures that soar to the sky,” and “something similar to Universal Studios in Orlando.” What would be on your wish list?

+ Water: 30 million people are expected in Nashik for this year’s Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, and district officials are unconvinced by the water simulation model that’s been put forth. (via Times of India)