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Contents page
Jul 1-15, 1999
Cover Story
One person dies every hour in Delhi due to ambient air choked with particles. Diesel exhaust is a major source of fine particles that are the most lethal. Environmental regulators in California and elsewhere are putting the brakes on diesel cars. But transnational carmakers -- from Toyota and Ford to Mercedes -- are bringing diesel cars into India. While this is not against the law, it will certainly add to the body count in Indian cities
News
Belgium authorities found carcinogenic dioxins in food products. And they brushed the matter under the carpet. Now, Europe is facing an international crisis
The US and Canada agree to share their salmon resources
Human costs and environmental impact of the proposed multipurpose project on the Mahakali river dominated proceedings at a recent Indo-Nepal workshop in Nainital
Did climatic changes in the Himalaya help the intruders in the Kargil crisis?
Only five states generate more than 63 per cent of the total wastewater in India as they lack treatment facilities, says a recent study
Under pressure from the industry, the Australian government relaxes petrol and diesel emission standards
Interview
P N TAKKAR former director of the Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, and currently principal scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, has been...
Science & Technology
The ideal fruit juice plays havoc with the body's ability to absorb medicines
Leaving a light on in a sleeping baby's room may actually be harmful
Humans are not the only ones whose survival depends on keeping together
A path-breaking step in the process of understanding the most complex structure of the human body
By studying distant galaxies, we can test and refine our theories of star formation
Scientists are close to establishing a link between gamma-ray bursters and exploding stars
An important step in fabricating materials on extremely small scales
Consumer electronics may benefit from new advances
What keeps Jupiter and its plasma sheet in synchronous orbit
Did fires caused by the Aborigines drive creatures larger than humans to extinction?
Special Report
A haze of pollutants, the size of the US, covers a part of the Indian Ocean sky creating fears of acid rain, low rainfall and a change in environmental politics
The climate change meeting at Bonn tentatively agreed to postpone resolution of issues
Life in Delhi is a capital punishment. The city's air is so polluted it claims a victim every hour. The level of small particles less than 10 micron ( pm 10) present in the air are very high and are known to cause severe lung damage and cancer. The combustion of diesel generates large quantities of these particles, besides other harmful gases and dangerous hydrocarbons. The pictures below and on the opposite page speak volumes about the quality of air in the capital and the insidious manner in which vital organs of the body are exposed to these deadly pollutants.
At a public meeting on June 5, World Environment Day, 17 of the most eminent medical doctors, scientists and toxicologists of India released a signed statement expressing concern over the harmful effects of air pollution in the capital. The document points out that "there is urgent need for comprehensive epidemiological studies to show how ambient air pollution is affecting people's health and to quantitate this information and provide policy tools for air quality planning."
The medical experts suggest, "As a first step, we urge the government to stop the dieselisation of the private vehicle fleet. Commercial profit and public good have to become mutually compatible and reinforcing."
The statement was released by Prof V Ramalingaswami, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, president of the National Institute of Immunology and former Director-General of the Indian Council for Medical Research, New Delhi.
Life & Nature
How does a civilisation relate to the environment? To find out, study its attitude towards large carnivores. Europeans have tried to dominate nature. In the process, they have exterminated several large carnivores like the wolf.
But communities in India have lived with nature for centuries. They hold nature -- and its most resplendent symbol, the tiger -- in high regard
The Fortnight
With the launch of fuse, scientists hope to understand the processes that led to the formation and evolution of stars, including our solar system
Crosscurrent
New eco-friendly market towns can stop downhill migration
Review
Grassroots
At personal risk, an unlettered farmer vows to stick to his forest protection programme
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