Mining of sand means big business. Some states have banned mechanised mining, but the mafia is not ready to obey

Having served the country for more than a century and a half, the Indian Railways has taken apathy in its stride. But now, the tracks on which the giant moves have begun to show signs of stress. The health of this ailing mammoth needs to be restored

To implement industrial projects Indian states have placed water demands much beyond availability

Nations have been signing agreements to attract funds, but at the cost of public health and the environment

Negotiations in Durban were heated as the world searched for new ways to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Global temperatures could rise by 3°C by mid-century, says the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Health experts of 40 countries met in Delhi to find out how to control antibiotic resistance

Noise levels in most Indian cities have crossed safe limits. Lack of awareness has led to ailments ranging from hypertension to heart diseases. But the authorities don’t seem bothered. Down To Earth reports

The Lokayukta’s exhaustive report has revealed how big businesses and senior politicians colluded to clean out Bellary’s rich iron ore mines. But Bellary is also a governance failure and that should be viewed more seriously than all illegalities and environmental degradation, M Suchitra and Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava report

Government and non-government groups have not always been on the best of terms. Liberalisation and the Panchayati raj system set bases for their changing relationship. The showdown over the Lokpal Bill marks a new low. Where is the relationship headed? Down To Earth analyses

Clinical trials are important for the drug industry’s growth. But laws in India do not punish those who compromise rights and safety of persons volunteering for the trials. So many doctors and research organisations are compromising on ethics to rake in money, reports Ankur Paliwal