Too close to the sun

The internationally-funded programme to promote solar photovoltaic systems remains a nonstarter

Research rights

An intellectual property rights policy has been cleared for the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Cooking disaster, for free

West Delhi hutment residents use methane emanating from an abandoned garbage dump for fuel

Gasbagging

How good are the North's offers of joint implementation programmes with the South to cut the latter's carbon dioxide emissions?

No-budging budget

Beneath the gloss of populist governmental rhetoric, this year's budget is a dead loss

Journos access sci-tech

A new science and technology info system bails out mediapeople

Homing in on tradition

Traditional models of architecture, especially for mass housing purposes, may yet be resurrected

On the fast track

The finance minister has placed his bets on growth through rapid technological development, but critics say he should proceed with caution

Straw can generate power, if available

Substituting natural gas for diesel

Buses in the northern and western parts of the country may soon run on a mixture of diesel and natural gas

Out in the cold

It is possible to design buildings that stay cool in summer and warm in winter and save energy. But interest in solar passive architecture …

Wind power: up, up and down

Poorly implemented governmental policies are preventing the full exploitation of wind power which could supplement as much as 25 per cent of the …

Ministries clash over project clearances

Despite an acute power shortage in the country, the ministries of power and environment find each other the main obstacles in achieveing their …

India close to solar energy breakthrough

Solar energy is free, but harnessing it using conventional crystalline silicon cells is expensive. Efforts in India to produce an efficient, low-…

Polluting power plant back in operation

Delhi's Rajghat thermal power station, which was ordered closed for causing excessive pollution, has resumed functioning and has until March to …

Coast Guard cleans up oil spill off Nicobar

Indian crews successfully contained a huge oil spill near the Great Nicobar island. Now, the ministry of environment and forests must assess the …

Farmers against even modest power rate hike

State ministers are giving the agriculture sector a breather by ignoring the Prime Minister's call to stop subsidising power supply and agreeing …

Coast Guard mops up another oil spill

The oil pipeline burst at Bombay High exposes maintenance lapses and highlights the urgent need for environment management plans to tackle such …

France stops supply of uranium

Officials say the stoppage of enriched uranium for the Tarapur reactor will not affect India's peaceful nuclear programme

Ministry gets a dose of perestroika

The ministry of nonconventional energy sources is being reoriented to improve efficiency and allow private-sector participation to develop the …

The will is there, but not the funds

India has prepared a detailed plan to phase out chemicals that destroy the ozone layer, but its implementation is subject to aid from the …

Ministry refuses to learn from experience

The MNES has proposed the establishment of a solar thermal power plant near Jodhpur, even though such plants have proved commercially unviable in …

Time to change

Restrictions on use of natural resources in protected areas are driving the local communities dependent on forest produce for their survival to a …

Gassed into surrender

Excise duty imposed on methane produced by effluent treatment plants has been withdrawn

How green were the forests

The van panchayats of the Uttar Pradesh hills were created to restore the vital link between villagers and their forests. Today, they are prime …