The battle over forests
Are the recent eviction drives misdirected? (Read full article)
Crazy GM patent system
The Brazilian lawsuit against Monsanto’s royalty on soybean seeds exposes the irrational way in which laws apply to GM crops
Righting the copywrong
Amending the Copyright Act to give directors, composers and musicians rights over their work has corrected a historic wrong but trouble is brewing
Prayers for a little
Rivers’ flows must be maintained to protect the services they provide, but India has no legislation
Power trickles down
Successful cooperatives compel Maharashtra government to hand over control of irrigation facilities to farmers
Shrouded in controversy
A mountaineering expedition into the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve revives the debate on ecotourism and people's rights over forests.
Any cheers for Doha pact?
The Doha Declaration on protecting public health is a decade old, but developing countries have not been able to make use of TRIPs flexibilities
Going off course
As the Cauvery river dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu gets reduced to a politico-legal wrangle, focal issues remain unaddressed
Have India's tribal leaders failed their people?
India has the largest tribal population in the world. But they are also the most marginalised section of society. What is it in India's political …
Caught in the net
The recent ban on shark hunting is only a partial victory for the conservationists. To make it a success, better networking between the coastal …
Why the US is such a bully
US attempts to kill of global democracy are getting more commonplace than ever. In such a political climate, it is impossible to talk about …
Costly largesse
US unveils safety net for its farmers, shackling global free trade and posing a threat to environment
Europe to phase out major pesticides
EU decides to withdraw about 320 substances used in plant protection products - including pesticides, fungicides and herbicides - from markets by …
Rules of e-dump
Loopholes in new rules for electronic waste make it difficult to regulate informal sector
Is REC an albatross for power distribution utilities?
Only two states have achieved their renewable energy targets so far. Others scaled down their commitments
Trouble at sea
From imposing restrictions on harvesting of shark species to having second thoughts about them, the authorities seem utterly confused
Cotton conundrum
The powers that be are hanging fire on Bt cotton despite long and intensive research. Indira Khurana delves into the baffling issue
Rules and renegades
Pesticide regulations in India are lax. The industry has exploited the loopholes to corrupt the system. And the government has turned a blind eye …
Industry's Nemesis
A report by the National Institute of Occupational Health nails endosulfan. Is that why the pesticide establishment wants to keep it under wraps?
Sitting Ducks
As polluting asbestos units and illegal mining thrive amid lax laws, lakhs of workers become easy prey for dreaded diseases
India Exposed!
It is unimaginable. Air quality in most Indian cities is at critical levels. And the culprit - respirable particulates - are way above danger …
Printers' devil
The Jaipur bench of the Rajasthan High Court has ordered the relocation of Sanganer's polluting dyeing and printing units within a year. Failure …
Invest in the most vulnerable to tide over COVID-19 crisis
India needs to be a country that achieves progress that’s equitable in the true spirit of its Constitution
Bringing order to streets
Centre legalises street vending and gives the profession its due respect. But accommodating vendors is a challenge
No Escape
A recent US study has conclusive evidence on the deadly nature of fine particulate matter in the air. These unseen particles, mostly emitted by …