Large promises
Prime Minister Vajpayee is terribly interested in rural development these days. On his birthday he inaugurated Swajaldhara, a nation-wide water …
Only connect?
Telecommunications and the television (TV) broadcasting sectors have been most instrumental in ushering in what is called the 'Information society'…
The US learns that green laws make sense after all
Make no mistake, US President George W Bush's office has conceded that green laws make sound economic sense. Although the White House reiterated …
True growth is about overcoming hard challenges
IN THE developed world, conducting business today is also about being environmentally accountable. Governments have imposed stringent regulatory …
Documenting the Northeast's tribal laws
Land is central to the tribal identity in the region too easily abbreviated 'northeast'. Jeuti baruah knows this too well. As director of the Law …
The blind Court
This is a story of justice denied. On February 13, 1996, the Supreme Court, the highest seat of justice in the country, ruled that five units …
"The awareness here is dismal"
Karnataka High Court's Justice M F Saldanha has emerged as one of judiciary's standard bearers in the ongoing battle to save the environment. His …
The Method Behind The Madness
When the official system learns to loot the official treasury, it also targets the natural estate, the biggest property of the modern state. Good …
"Right should belong to scientists"
For the first time in India, the draft of the Plant Varieties Protection (PVP) Act is being finalised by the ministry of agriculture. India, as a …
'Community rights must figure in the Forest Bill'
The raging controversy over the regressive draft Forest Bill has dumped the onus of defending it on minister of state for environment and forests …
Towards wetland conservation
The Union environment ministry has been working for the past four years to create a regulatory framework to protect the country’s wetlands. …
EU legislation - The wrong note
The music industry is crying out loud against eu legislation for protecting intellectual property, complaining that it falls short of what is …
"We are not afraid to lay down more lives for our rights"
Chilika, Asia's largest brackish water lake in Orissa, is in the midst of a controversy that refuses to die. At stake is the livelihood of …
Civil v political
Arguably, this is the hottest political summer for Delhi. Reason: friction between anti-corruption activists and the Union government over the …
Fatal Attraction
The thirst for diesel in India is growing. Diesel mania grips the Indian automobile industry and the customers with more and more companies going …
Are we ready to hand over on our life-forms?
There are certain plants, vegetables and fruits indigenous to India having medicinal properties. The knowledge of these properties rests with …
The CNG imperative
More than 50,000 additional deaths will occur over the next ten years, from 2001 to 2010, from toxic particles in Delhi if the Supreme Court …
Murder mystery in Bihar
The killing of two social activists has left behind a series of unanswered questions. On the evening of January 24 social activists Sarita and …
‘Tribal philosophy can’t be ignored beyond a point’
At a time when climate change is emerging as a reality, indigenous people are eager to give-up their low-carbon lifestyle and join the bandwagon …
Wooing back the salmon
International experiences in effective environmental management have their foundation in strict adherence to legal statutes. In this context, …
PUBLIC OUTCRY
For the past several months, Delhi has been witness to a half-hearted government being prodded by a determined Supreme Court to clean the Yamuna. …
Are community reserves the answer to conservation?
The 2002 Amendment to the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972) -- the bible of the conservation movement -- calls for a new category of …
On paper
The Green Rating Project (GRP) of the Centre for Science and Environment was conceived as a means to track the environmental performance of India'…
Cries of anguish
Most Indians are defenceless against the fine toxic particles in the air -- largely products of vehicular emissions -- and scientists are finding …
Cola major gets a taste of panchayat power
A multi-billion-dollar transnational corporation has had to blink first in an eyeball-to-eyeball dispute with an obscure panchayat of Kerala. On …