The last common property
OSCAR OLIVERA is today an icon for all people's movements to regain control of their resources. He tells RICHARD MAHAPATRA why water is not for sale
'Only closure of ivory markets can save African elephants'
Study by Wildlife Conservation Society underlines how illegal ivory trade, which has doubled since 2007, is causing rapid decline in elephant …
How to cure corruption in healthcare
Rx: Only an effective governing body, which includes medical and non-medical members, can stop the culture of kickbacks
Cauvery gouged
Ten years after the Tamil Nadu government took over sand mining from private players, illegalities continue, harming agriculture and draining the …
Maharashtra government dismisses 166 ‘corrupt’ agricultural market committees
Agricultural markets have turned into centres of political power, say farmers’ organisations
Freeing coal
As domestic coal production dips, plan panel proposes to allow captive coal power companies to trade coal
A public eyewash
The inspection and maintenance programme is nothing more than testing tailpipes of vehicles in India. The government should stop wasting …
Accountable automatically
Emission warranty and recall system have compelled the automobile manufacturers in the US and Sweden to take serious anti-pollution measures
Weed them out
The challenge is how to isolate "gross polluters" from the vehicle fleet and send them back to the manufacturers
Bridging the gap
Pressured by a highly active civil society, the Kerala state government is actually giving power to the people. The decentralisation theory has …
Fighting for a cause
K N Narayana Pillai, 75, is an ordinary citizen who has been suffering because of pollution from an industrial unit operating beside his house. …
Meta Outstripped
The pace of construction at a controversial copper plant in Goa has not slackened despite protests from the people and the church
Bank at your doorstep
Technology is helping public sector banks find customers in rural India. This is part of the Centre’s efforts to include villages in the …
Jharkhand Assembly elections: parties ignore deforestation, displacement and pollution
Corruption and political stability on political parties’ agenda; 55 candidates have criminal charges pending against them
Model in a fix
Chhattisgarh's much appreciated public distribution scheme is falling apart due to corruption and mismanagement
AAP manifesto: decentralisation, the magic wand to tackle three 'Cs'
Free medicines, universal healthcare and a unique natural resources policy to check coal- and 2G-type scams find place in Aam Aadmi Party's list …
Life after coalgate
As the apex court cancels 214 illegal coal blocks, people fighting against mining rejoice. But they are uncertain about the land already taken, …
Lessons from two cities
Pune aims to become a zero-landfill city by 2015. With a range of solid waste management options, the target does not seem too ambitious. …
Testing time
Revisits by Down To Earth reporters to villages that undertook water harvesting offer some valuable lessons in drought management
Made to fail
Employment Guarantee Scheme, first of its kind drought relief scheme has had no impact on the drought-prone areas of Maharashtra in almost 30 …
Out of focus
The government's drought relief programmes are bound to fail in the long run. Even the Planning Commission acknowledges that funds for the …
How did it go wrong?
The corrupt and inefficient among pollution control authorities have surrendered India's groundwater to unscrupulous industrial units
Disasters in the making?
Groundwater contamination in India is verging on disastrous proportions, especially with regard to mercury
Missing the bus
The whole world is moving towards CNG. But the crisis of governance in Delhi keeps the air filthy
Union ministry of surface transport
Saboteur-in-chief. Is responsible for making procedures. Has botched them up, discouraging those keen on CNG