The fragmented heritage of Jotiba Phule
Social radical that he was, Phule's memory lives on, despite accusations that he was pro-British and casteist. But most of his followers are …
Ban on exports helps protect Indian bullfrog
The decline of the Indian bullfrog was reported recently in a New Scientist article. But, it may be premature to conclude that the species is doomed.
A junkyard in the sky
An average trekker uses as much firewood in a day as an average Nepali family would in a week.
How many trees for a political tamasha?
Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha Jayaram's self-boosting extravaganza in Madurai has cost the nation an estimated 40,000 litres of precious …
The unaccounted wealth that leaves our shores
The Indian government invests Rs 34 lakh to educate each IIT graduate. It therefore has the moral authority to get him or her to work for the …
Up in smoke
Illegal marijuana cultivation leads to a systematic butchering of the rich rainforests of Kerala
Aswamedh Yajna - the burning question
Over the centuries, the Aswamedh yajna changed from being related to metal smelteries and became associated with horse sacrifices?
From butterfly to caterpillar
Stung by unplanned growth, Naini Tal -- once a queen among hill resorts -- is being divested of her riches.
Panel inspected
The inherently flawed investigation of Nepal's Arun III dam project has undermined the credibility of the World Bank's new Inspection Panel
Behind the buzzword
The NGO movement in South Asia has come a long way in the past 10 years. Last month, a panel discussion between some of them emphasised …
Imparting environmental education
What is the best approach to instil in the minds of students a lifelong respect for the environment?
Reworking of times past
In the race to make a fast buck from Jurassic Park, Spielberg lost a cinematic shot at recreating the complex ecosystem where dinosaurs ruled Earth
The South needs sit-ups
Although the World Trade Organization is not the South's favourite negotiating platform, the latter must strengthen itself against the Northern moves
We propose, greens dispose
...thus decried Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, on the issue of power projects which may have let the power into but thrown the ecology in a state …
'Land'ing in trouble
While plans about alternatives to almost all currently used resources abound, no one is talking about managing one crucial resource: terra firma
The unsustainable city
The debates, diatribes and rhetoric over the concept of sustainable cities have all been met with the resounding illogic of warped priorities: …
Muck to moolah
A village-based approach to wastewater management is ecologically sound and opens up a clear route to economic upliftment of the communities... …
Outbreak Outrage
There is a suspicion among African biomedics about the well projected linking of the continent's environment with the emergence of lethal viruses …
Nature's whims and fancies
Early flowering of mango trees, rain constellations going haywire, disappearing nor'westers, shifting seasons - all these unusual phenomena can …
Good, but not enough
The efforts of South Asian countries at cooperation in the field of science and technology have a long way to go
The Korean conundrum
Demand management is better for both the environment and the economy. The sooner South Korea realises this, the easier it would be for the nation …
A musician's Yantra
Violinist-turned-environmentalist Aubrey Meyer has coined the phrase "contraction and convergence" and set the world thinking on the lines of …
Guiding myths
Folk knowledge is a treasure that has been passed on by word of mouth. It needs to be protected and documented before it is lost
A necessary drain
Draining of Lake Powell, formed after creation of a dam on the Colorado river, has become essential for restoring the ecology of the Grand Canyon …
Counter Productive
The post-Pokhran sanctions on Indian scientific institutions by the West could be a blessing in disguise for the country and its scientists