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Cover Story

The Northern model of conserving tropical forests by completely eleminating humans from them will spell ecological disaster, and may aimed more at protecting the agricultural export markets of developed countries than enhancing global biodiversity

Editor's page

Toxic city

Living in Delhi these days is a toxic experience. The water is 'filthy. The air is foul. Everybody knows all that but nobody does
much. A few weeks ago, I had a chance to
address a group of medical scientists at a local
medical college, one which serves a relatively
poorer area of the city. Speaker after speaker
talked of Delhi's worsening pollution and the
attendant risks, like the fire that gobbled up
the plastics wastes market in Jwalapuri.

There was much talk of cancer and how
we might witness an idemic if people did
not wake up in time. When my turn came, I

News

The general folly

Recently, the US-based General Motors has rammed into a controversy involving nearly half a million of its luxury cars spewing alarming amounts of air pollutants

Tribal rights to the fore

The veryfirst scheme to recognise the intellectual property rights of the Kani tribals in Kerala, ran into rough weather, only to bounce back into action

Threatened birds

Money for a green cause

There is more than just fun for the occasional visitor to a national park - the economics of its conservation

Calcutta's sorrow

Patent tactics

The US applies pressure over new patents law on drugs in Brazil amidst stringent criticism

Forest fiasco

Laos' forests may go for a six following the implementation of two forest-aid packages

Tobacco tiff

Care club

A new approach to sustainability may serve as the ultimate magic wand for solving global environmental problems

Disk quest

Science & Technology

New stars on the horizon

An exciting new discovery might lead to a confirmation of the presence of the farthest known galaxy

Chip off the new block

Researchers try enhancing the capacitance of microelectronic capacitors

Diamonds a forever

Innovations in synthetic diamond making add some glitter to life

Switching speeds

Scientists develop a new switch to revolutionise fibre-opti techniques

Forget me not

A journey to discover

Fresh lease

Animals to the rescue

A breakthrough in organ transplant surgery promises end the agonies of patients and donors

Combating cancer

Two new ways for speedy and painless cancer treatment

New for old

Replacement and alteration of defective genes is a milestone in gene therapy

Memory loss by inches

Dieting anxiety could reduce memory instead of calories

Bridging gaps

A simple procedure could save many villages from being off during the monsoons

Cold storage

An age old principle comes in handy to provide the rural poor with low cost refrigerators

Sweet measures

New means of collecting honey will no longer destroy the entire honey comb

Choosing options

Trickle thrills

Wonder weed

Period probe

Speedy detection

Joint relief

Analysis

Of barren hills and barrel smoke

Militancy has destroyed much more than peace in Kashmir. Kalashnikov-trotting extremists are ravaging the last green frontiers of the 'heaven on earth'. Even the Army is accused of active complicity. Eco-vandalism has certainly emerged as a lucrative deal

Special Report

Plant prospects

The stubborn juliflora, which grows mostly in drylands and wastelands, is now invading arable areas. One still speculates about the repercussions

For the people

Conservation policies practised in the developing world need to tread cautiously on territories which had for generations, belonged to the people, says a statement by the Centre for Science and Environment

The Fortnight

Wheeling dealing

Sweeping changes are in the offing for the European system

A fur cry

Delving into dark

Enough room

Weighty problems

On the warpath

Tyranny unabated

Gene cure

M0NEYMAKERS

KAMPUCHEA

PHILIPPINES

IVORY COAST

NAMIBIA

MALAWI

BRAZIL

TRINIDAD

FIERY FALL-OUTS

MARSUPIAL LEANINGS

FOR THE FORESTS

Invade with care

INDIA

No longer under wraps

The battle is on

X-ceptional cure

Making waves

Exposed!

Under review

The big byte

SHUTTERS DOWN

UNIFICATION BLUES

LUNGS FOR THE CITY

IN FOCUS

Debate

Stressed woods

Management ofprotected areas has been one of the principal bones of contention between the various shades of interested opinions in the country.
Environmentalists, social workers,
reasearchers, NGO activists, bureaucrats and parliamentarians got
together to hammer out a
formula in a debate organised by the Centrejor Science and
Environment (CSE) in October.
The participants in the debate were:

Leader

Exercise in non-performance

Union minister of commerce P Chidambaram's statement
Raiva Sabha, that a multi- disciplinary committee has been
up'by the government to prepare a regulatory framework
implementing the biodiversity convention in India, had
like a glimmer of light at the end of a dark tunnel.

The need for such a body can hardly be overstressed. The
ention, which seeks to protect the world's genetic
rux.,Ln:es of plants and animals, upholds the sovereign rights
Va nation over its natural resources. In other words, the
rul government has full authority to set up structured

Review

When minds meet

IF THERE is One striking feature about the intellectual landscape today, it is the increasing importance of science as opposed to literature or philosophy. Scientists are at the centrestage of intellectual debates on various issues ranging from the nature of the mind to that of the universe. This is in sharp contrast to earlier periods in history when the classics and humanities defined the perimeter of an intellectual's knowledge base.

Science backs the politically correct

GOOD deal of attention has ently been given to scientific - ideas and information in emational relations literae - some of which looks scientific knowledge as a rce of foreign policy and international cooperation. e book in review makes a for understandiDg the portance of scientific knowledge as a political urce and an arena for international environmental otiations. The negotia ns and policies related to one layer depletion is cho low n as a case study to re mine the dominant theo elatical approaches to environmental treaty-making.

On deaf ears, naturally

BORN in a small farming village on the island of Shikoku, Japan, Masanobu Fukuoka was trained as an inspector. Soon, he began questioning the accomplishments of modern civilisation. In 1945, after being discharged from the Imperial Army, he returned to the village lyo and chose to farm.

Baby boom or doom?

WESTERN and 'civilised' notions concerning the relation between population patterns and economic status may seem to dominate our world-view today. This book exposes and seeks to counter the rather inadequate and insensitive understanding of the motivation for child bearing in the developing world.

Eco-Activism

On the one hand, Goa, the Western tourist's paradise, has earned valuable dollars, but on the other hand its ecology has suffered. This much talked about problem is the subject of Gargi Sen's new film. Says Sen, -The target of the film will be the large scale centralised tourism industry which has exploited the seashores of Goa." Sen and the Magic Lantern productions will be using this film as part of a campaign against such tourism.

Celestial non-experience

MYSTERY, myth, superstition, even suspense - for the Table - October had it Irbe it the milk guzzling &Anesha or the spectacle ijlwMed by the solar eclipse. material for television, Wmay argue, with great bers turning to their TV 57to interpretwhat they and heard.

rThe milk miracle occured overnight and caught bowcasters unawares and dkrefore one could forgive 00 patchy and superficial &wwtion given. But what of !Ibr solar eclipse of October 24?

Regeneration on reels

K Bikram Singh will soon be relating another tale about the regeneration of barren land in his new film. He has earlier made two films on the same subject: Rebirth and Jhilmil.

This yet untitled film is about the success of natural regeneration in Datia, Madhya Pradesh. According to Singh, "Natural regeneration of forests is much easier done and has a better rate of survival than when pits are dug and species alien to the land are planted." The film will be screened in December 1995.

Earthy honours

The Earthworm Award founded in 1987 and worth 2,000 to the winning author, is the premier prize for books designed to attract children towards environmental concerns. According to Charles Secrett, the director of Friends of the Earth, "It is intended to encourage the writing and publication of books that will raise environmental awareness in the young."

Some of the books that have been shortlisted for this year's award are: The Hunter by Paul Garaghty, The Secret Forests by Michael Gaffney, Times-natch by Robert Swindells, and Fallout by Gudrun Pausewang.

Inside-Outside

Images and representations of boulder-size bisons, grizzly bears and wild horses of the American wild west have now been brought together in a sprawling gallery of 4,650 square meters".

Grassroots

The swaraj dream

Urbane intellectuals join hands with proud Gond tribals in an unique exercise to chalk out planning and development in adivasi hamlets

Letters

Not quite correct

I have noticed that several items of news
published in Down To Earth, otherwise a very
stimulating magazine,
are misleading if not
wrong. In a news-piece
entitled 'Warming up
to the sun' (Vol 4, No 5), the last item
maybe termed a 'pseudo-improvement'. Gallium arsenide-gallium aluminium arsenide solar cells with efficiencies of 23.3 per cent were fabricated
by Van der Plas et al in 1978. So what is
the significance of upgrading 9 per cent
efficiency cells in 1995 to 14 per cent by
introducing 50 quantum wells? Van der

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